Killings
by immo
Summary: Haruka turned Family Man(woman). Intrique in the underworld. Where will our heroine's loyalty's lie?
1. Prologue

Killings: Introduction  
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating:PG-13  
  
Been writing so much fiction in other places, I thought I should go back to my roots. What  
  
made me start writing in the first place. Ah, Sailormoon, how much hours of entertainment  
  
have you provided me?  
  
Really, just the prologue. An idea I just got. I really should be studying for my exam that  
  
I'm going to be having in... oh... 19 minutes?  
  
Reviews, comments, complaints, suggestions, etc. All are welcome. And believe me, reviews  
  
make me get off my lazy ass and actually write! Tell me how you like/love/hate this little  
  
piece, k?  
  
~~~  
  
"Oh Carl," Haruka sang her little rendition of Neil Sedaka's 'Oh Carol' softly to  
  
herself, as she looked around the hallway. "I am but a fool..."  
  
Her steps echoed on the stairs, and she could hear the sound of someone, scurrying  
  
along on the second floor. She looked positively devastating with her dusty black leather  
  
jacket, and sunglasses. She smirked a bit, laughing at herself. Too much Matrix. The second  
  
and the third installment of the trilogy had been crap, but damnit if she didn't love the  
  
costumes. She pushed the sunglasses up so they rested on her head. It was stupid to wear  
  
sunglasses in the house when it killed your visibility.  
  
"Darlin' I love you--" She kicked open a door, and ducked to the side when there  
  
were answering shots. She counted them carefully, took a deep breath, and rolled into the  
  
room, quickly killing a woman and rendering the shooter harmless. "--though you treat me  
  
cruel... you hurt me--"  
  
"Please..." The man looked up at the blonde, pleadingly. "...please..."  
  
"And you made me cry," She placed a finger on her lips, urging him to be silent.   
  
"But if you leave me, I will surely die."  
  
Two shots into his head, one to kill him, two because she was overzealous and liked  
  
to know that when she worked, she gave 110%.  
  
Carl Maximoff. The man had been a snitch. And the Russian mob would not stand for  
  
it. He must be made an example of. So they hired one of the best, and the best, the very  
  
best of them all was Tenoh Haruka. She was utterly heartless and in all her years in the  
  
business, had never botched up a job.  
  
She was the one they called, when things needed that extra, personal touch.  
  
"With love, Mr Maximoff," Haruka bent down and relieved the man of all the valuables  
  
he carried. "From Russia."  
  
The mob didn't care who knew, just really, that everyone knew that those who crossed  
  
the Russian mob, did not live to cross them again. Taking out a five Kopeck coin, she  
  
casually tossed it in the air and caught it. She opened the man's mouth, and placed the coin  
  
under Carl's tongue. She looked over at the body of the late Carl's wife.  
  
"Too bad," Haruka said wistfully, when she saw that Mrs Maximoff had been beautiful.  
  
Neighbors must have called the police now. This was a quiet neighborhood. Gunshots  
  
would be reported and police would arrive on the scene momentarily. Stepping away from the  
  
carcass, she made her way to the nursery to finish off what she had been sent to do.  
  
Every Maximoff in the household had to die. 


	2. Killings: My Left Hand

Killings: My Left Hand  
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating:PG-13  
  
Well, someone said I should continue. And I'm still on my creative streak, so here we go!  
  
~~~  
  
"Mr Slobodianik," Haruka stood there respectfully. When she reached into her pocket, the man that stood at  
  
the mob boss' side, reached for the gun in his shoulder holster.  
  
"No need for that now, do we?" Haruka smiled, what was meant to be a reassuring smile, but only managed to  
  
make the man a tad more skittish.  
  
"Serge."  
  
The bodyguard lowered his hand, but still eyed Haruka nervously. Haruka chuckled, and pulled out the late  
  
Mr Maximoff's personal effects.  
  
A watch, that had dried blood crusting on it. A silver chain. A wallet. Two rings.  
  
Slobodianik reached for the rings. The wedding band, he tossed aside; it was the second ring he was  
  
interested in.  
  
"Tenoh."  
  
Haruka inclined her head slightly.  
  
"You have done me a great service." Sacha Slobodianik's thick russian accent laced his english. "I am...  
  
pleased."  
  
"Thank you, Mr Slobodianik."  
  
"You see this ring?" Slobodianik held up the thick platinum band. "Look inside."  
  
The boss tossed it over to Haruka, who caught it easily. Engraved on the inside were some undecipherable  
  
characters.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"In russian, it says 'my left hand'." Sacha regarded Haruka with a cool grey eye. "That man killed for me,  
  
as this one does--" Nikolai motioned to the bodyguard beside him, "He was close as family. I have forgotten, that  
  
even family betray each other. You can keep that ring."  
  
Slobodianik pulled open a drawer, and took out a small manila envelope. Pushing it across the desk, he  
  
motioned for Haruka to pick it up.  
  
"It is your payment."  
  
Haruka picked it up and smiled apologetically to Slobodianik before she opened the envelope and counted out  
  
the money inside, slowly, meticulously. Then, when she was sure she had the right amount, slipped everything into  
  
the inside of her coat.  
  
"You don't trust me, Tenoh?"  
  
"It's not that, sir." Haruka answered smoothly. "People are liable to make mistakes, sir. And I don't want  
  
to suffer for a mistake. If I get out of this office and I make a mistake and think you haven't given me my due, for  
  
example. And I come back here, furious and accusing, why, that would be a very embarassing situation for me."  
  
"Of course." Slobodianik smiled at the way Haruka had handled that.  
  
"If there is nothing more, sir--"  
  
"There is, one more thing." Sacha stood up and walked around his desk to stand in front of Haruka. "You are  
  
an unconnected woman, are you not?"  
  
Haruka let out a bitter laugh. Yes. She was. Most of the leaders of the underworld were men. The society was  
  
mainly patriarchal. Some have offered connections at the lower levels, but after experiencing some of the prejudices  
  
she was subjected to because of her being a woman, she decided to go it alone.  
  
"No, I suppose not." Sacha patted Haruka on the shoulder companionably, and the alarm bells in the blonde's  
  
head went off. "You are a woman, with no family connections. You are good at what you do though, yes?"  
  
"Of course, sir."  
  
"Carl was one of my best men, and I wonder, how you managed to kill him so easily?" Sacha Slobodianik looked  
  
her over. "You do not have even a scratch on you."  
  
"Sir, he was distracted."  
  
"By what?"  
  
"He wanted to protect his wife and child. That was the man's weakness. He panicked."  
  
"Ah." Sacha nodded sagely. "Now I have an opening, Tenoh. Would you be willing to hear my proposition?"  
  
When Haruka didn't answer, Sacha continued along. "My left hand is gone, Haruka. I need a replacement. I  
  
have been watching you some time. The idiots, the stupid wops cannot see your worth. They see you are a woman, and  
  
nothing more. The other ragtag groups are not worthy of your notice. I want you to put on that ring."  
  
There was a moment of stunned silence, before Haruka blurted out, "Are you joking, Mr Slobodianik?"  
  
"No." Sach shook his head. "Nono. I am dead serious. You will have the respect you deserve. And that money I  
  
gave you just now... you can make so much more, so much quicker!"  
  
"Mr Slobodianik, I don't know what to say--" Haruka laughed a bit, still half-expecting it to be a joke.  
  
"I'm not even russian!"  
  
"I don't care!" Sacha laughed, exasperated by the woman's disbelief. "You are not russian, that is true! But  
  
I don't care. You have skill, and I will look beyond everything if you are loyal. Your track record is clean, you  
  
will be a welcome member of my organization."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Sacha laughed again, and sat Haruka down on the chair in front of his desk. He opened a wooden box that was  
  
on his desk and took out a cigar. Snipping one end of it, he offered it to Haruka. "When I consider someone, I want  
  
to make sure they are best suited for the job. You've never ever screwed up a job, Tenoh. You are loyal to the  
  
people who have hired you. You have an unbelievable sense of honour and some kind of code you live by... that is in  
  
the old days. Actually, even the old days had no honour."  
  
Slobodianik picked out a cigar for himself, lit it, and inhaled a lungful of rich smoke. "I need someone I  
  
can count on."  
  
This was a great honour. Haruka knew it. And knew that she wouldn't be able to back out even if she wanted  
  
to. "Of course, Mr Slobodianik. I accept."  
  
"Put on that ring, Tenoh." Slobodianik clapped Haruka on the shoulder again, and watched, satisfied as  
  
Haruka did as she was told. "You are one of mine, now. You are my left hand. Anybody insults you, I will take it  
  
personally."  
  
~~~  
  
The investigation blew over quite quickly, as it always did when the mob was involved. Most of the police  
  
were on the take. Everybody knew it was one of the russian mob, but there was insubstantial evidence for an arrest.  
  
Nobody really demanded justice, anyways. To them, justice had been served. Who cares if criminals died? Carl  
  
Maximoff would not be missed. And the child and mother? They were nothing. Buried in things that mattered more.  
  
Haruka reflected on the events, sitting quietly opposite Sacha in a limousine that was currently on its way  
  
to taking the occupants of the car to a hotel.  
  
"Haruka, what's wrong?" Sacha had taken to calling her by her first name. She felt welcome, very welcome in  
  
the first few months of her initiation into the family. Everybody was extra careful around her. She felt their  
  
dissatisfaction rolling off them in waves. A woman! An outsider! Taking a place that should have been given to  
  
someone on the inside!  
  
But Sacha's decisions were not questioned. Haruka, Serge and Gary, the boss' accountant for both his legal  
  
and illegal businesses; rode with the boss to a formal function this night.  
  
"I'm just thinking, Mr Slobodianik," Haruka replied courteously. "Of how grateful I am of the chance you  
  
have given me."  
  
Sacha nodded and patted Haruka's knee, as the car rolled to a halt in front of a hotel where the function  
  
was taking place. Just really, a shareholder's meeting, but it was best to always be prepared for anything. That was  
  
why Sacha brought his bodyguards.  
  
"Stay close to me, alright?" Sacha ordered. "Serge, you spread out a bit. Get a bigger picture of the room.  
  
Gary, you stay close to me too."  
  
Gary nodded. In truth, Sacha had three bodyguards. Gary had a glock hidden on his body, and was a deadly  
  
shot. Haruka respected the man.  
  
"Sir," Serge got out of the car first, giving the area a quick lookover, and held the door open. Gary exited  
  
from the other side, as did Haruka. There was one car in front of the one Sacha and Haruka were in, and another  
  
behind them. Filled with Slobodianik's men. Security was of the utmost importance. Right now, even though the the  
  
entire corporation seemed as steady as a rock, the foundations were just repairing itself. This was the time when  
  
the Slobodianik family was at its weakest. A close member of his outfit had been leaking information to the other  
  
families, and now the few trusted were weeding out any signs of weakness in the organizations. Even the trusted were  
  
being watched carefully.  
  
Sacha didn't live this long to be careless.  
  
"I'm going to point out various people to you, Haruka." Sacha smoothed down his suit. "It'll be something  
  
like an orientation... Serge knows what I'm talking about."  
  
Serge nodded. "There's going to be many families here. Bungario might even show up if he's not hiding his  
  
ass somewhere."  
  
"We know he was the one Carl was reporting to mainly." Gary's face darkened. "Remember when we hired you,  
  
Ms Tenoh, that an assassination had just been attempted on Mr Slobodianik and his immediate family's life. That was  
  
the work of the Italian mafia, but we don't have enough hard evidence. We don't want an all-out war without good  
  
reason, it'll upset the other families."  
  
The doorman held the door open for them, various people were lingering in the foyer, while some had already  
  
entered the banquet hall that was booked off for this event.  
  
"Over there, at my 10 o'clock," Sacha whispered, barely moving his head. Haruka's eyes darted to the side,  
  
and she caught site of a man with black hair, asian descent. Speaking fluent english, he was talking animatedly with  
  
a portly gentleman.  
  
"That, is Mamoru Chiba." Slobodianik smiled cordially, when Mamoru turned away from the man he was talking  
  
to, and catching sight of them, raised a glass of champagne in greeting. "Remember him. He heads the Chiba family,  
  
and we will be doing business with him a lot, it seems."  
  
The carpet underfoot was plush, and Haruka had to force herself to keep her eyes ahead, and not wandering  
  
around. She allowed herself a glance up at the ceiling, briefly admiring how the light danced in the thousands of  
  
crystals that made up the chandeliers that hung above her head.  
  
When she looked back down from the ceiling, she was caught in the stare of the most crystal blue eyes she  
  
had ever had the pleasure of being ensnared in.  
  
"That, is Usagi Tsukino." Sacha noticed where Haruka was looking. Haruka nodded slightly at the other  
  
blonde, smiled when she saw an answering smile and blush blossom on Usagi's cheeks. Usagi Tsukino had the most...  
  
distinctive hairstyle.  
  
"She's the daughter of one of our most prominent businessmen, Mr Tsukino. Japanese man who owns quite a bit  
  
of stock in ECS." Sacha informed. "He's who we need to win over. Very important... there he is..."  
  
A japanese gentleman blocked Haruka's view of Usagi. He nodded at them, and entered the hall.  
  
"The dinner's going to be starting soon, sir." Gary informed.  
  
~~~  
  
The meeting began first, and Haruka felt bored out of her mind. One hour had passed already, and she didn't  
  
want to be rude, but she felt like this meeting was dragging on forever. Company profits were quoted, new things  
  
that stockholders would like to know... but Haruka was not a stockholder, and she really didn't care. She pretended  
  
to be interested because Sacha was totally engrossed with the presentation. At one point, the lights dimmed, and  
  
Haruka stirred, thinking that the meeting was over. She was disappointed to see that they were showing graphs and  
  
other charts on a projection screen.  
  
Haruka shifted in her seat a little, and looked around the room. Immediately, she caught sight of Usagi  
  
again, and stiffled a chuckle when she saw that the girl was nodding off. She watched as Mr Tsukino shook the  
  
teenager awake, and Usagi fidgetted in her seat, irritated.  
  
Then she caught Haruka staring at her in the dark. Slobodianik's left hand woman smirked a bit, when Usagi  
  
flushed and turned away. A few seconds later, she was glancing back to look at Haruka. Haruka hadn't looked away,  
  
and smiled a bit more when Usagi didn't look away this time.  
  
'Are you bored?' Haruka mouthed.  
  
Usagi rolled her eyes, and motioned at the projection screen discreetly.  
  
'Yes!'  
  
Haruka grinned, and looked around. Discreetly, she motioned for a waiter to come to her, and she slipped a  
  
piece of paper to the waiter and instructed for him to pass the message. Acting nonchalent, the waiter meandered  
  
around filling water glasses before stopping at Usagi's table and dropping the note into her lap. Usagi read it  
  
quickly, and let out a loud laugh, and quickly clamped her hand over her mouth when almost the whole room turned to  
  
look at her.  
  
"I admit, the idea is foreign," The presenter had been presenting a proposal, and he looked slightly hurt.  
  
"But I believe it would increase the company's profits by a significant percentage."  
  
Usagi's father frowned at his daughter, and she grinned sheepishly, her weak apology made the neighboring  
  
tables laugh lightly. Everything settled down again, and concentrated on the graph again.  
  
When the attention shifted from her, she bent down her head in concentration, scribbling something down on  
  
a napkin and waited as the waiter made his way back to her. The napkin was passed to Haruka. The blonde opened it  
  
and chuckled at the drawing of a chibi-Usagi shaking her fist at Haruka.  
  
"Haruka, is something wrong?" Sach leaned towards her.  
  
"Sorry, Mr Slobodianik." Haruka shook her head, quickly crumbling up the napkin in her fist and stuffing it   
  
into her jacket pocket. "No, nothing's wrong."  
  
After that, Haruka avoided looking at Usagi, and tried her best to keep her eyes on the presentation.  
  
Thankfully, the meeting was finally over, and dinner would be served. A live band replaced the presenters and  
  
representatives of ECS, and the aroma of food wafted to Haruka's nostrils.  
  
The meal started off with a salad, which Haruka ate with relish. The main course, a choice of steak or fish.  
  
The steak Haruka had was a bit dry, and the gravy was watery. As she was polishing off the last of her strawberry  
  
cheesecake, Sacha nudged her.  
  
"On stage."  
  
The band had stopped briefly, and a violinist and pianist came on stage. A grand piano had been sitting on  
  
the stage for a while already, and the pianist sat down. Without further ado, he began the piece with a little  
  
flourish. It was not until the violinist began to play that people started looking up.  
  
'What have we here?' Haruka regarded the violinist curiously. The aqua-tressed girl obviously had skill. A  
  
lot of skill. And who was she that she garnered Mr Slobodianik's interest?  
  
"That," Sacha breathed softly, so softly that Haruka had to strain to listen. "That, is Bungario's niece,  
  
Michiru Kaioh. Watch out for her."  
  
Caught in a stare again. Michiru's eyes, though blue, were not the crystal blues of Usagi's eyes. They were  
  
the turbulent blues of an ocean deep. Haruka couldn't help it but look away, and was appalled that she did so. She  
  
felt embarassed, at being caught staring. Embarassed that she was embarassed.  
  
She could still feel Michiru's eyes on her, and her eyes darted around discreetly for a way out.  
  
"Loosen up a bit, Haruka." Sacha patted the woman's shoulders. "Why don't you go dance? Find someone nice  
  
you'd like to dance with. Take a break. Serge will sit with me."  
  
"Of course," Haruka stood up, and excused herself, recognizing the dismissal in Slobodianik's voice.  
  
Still felt those eyes on her.  
  
The music was quivering around her, as if the violinist was laughing through the strains of her violin.  
  
Haruka saw Usagi out of the corner of her eye, waltzing--or what she tried to pass off as waltzing--with a  
  
guy who was realizing it was a mistake to ask this young, beautiful, but terribly clutzy girl to dance with him.  
  
The blonde watched for a few seconds, before heading towards the disastrous couple. A dance with the pretty  
  
girl would take her mind off of Michiru. The violinist, Bungario's niece... troubled her.  
  
"May I cut in?"  
  
The guy Usagi had been dancing with willing let Haruka take the dance.  
  
"I don't think I want to dance anymore," Usagi's face was red from the tip of her ears to the end of her  
  
nose. "I-I'm not that good."  
  
"Nonsense," Haruka took the girl's hand, in her own, and squeezed it reassuringly. "He just didn't know how  
  
to lead. And ytou've probably never waltzed before. Its pretty simple, just follow my lead, okay?"  
  
And it did seem pretty simple, as Haruka whirled her around the dance floor. It was as if Usagi was a  
  
totally different person as she danced with the dashing left-hand woman of the Slobodianik family.  
  
"My name is Usagi Tsukino."  
  
"Haruka Tenoh," Haruka smiled. "I work for Mr Slobodianik. One, two, three, twirl! Good. See, its not that  
  
hard."  
  
"You're a very good dancer."  
  
"You're very beautiful."  
  
Usagi laughed delightfully. "Those two things are entirely unrelated."  
  
"It is so related," Haruka shot back playfully. "You're beautiful. Which is the truth. I'm a good dancer.  
  
Which is also the truth."  
  
"A tad bit conceited?" Usagi swayed to the music, which Haruka noticed, had become a piano solo. It was   
  
morphing into a slow piece, too slow for waltzing. And Usagi instinctively stepped closer, when Haruka's hand  
  
pressed against the small of her back.  
  
"Haruka," A hand stopped their dancing, and Haruka turned around and almost glared at Gary. "We are  
  
leaving."  
  
"Of course." And she was just beginning to have fun. Parting slowly from Usagi, Haruka leaned down,  
  
hesitated a bit to see if Usagi would shy away from her. But when the younger girl didn't, Haruka placed a kiss on  
  
the side of Usagi's face. "Good night, Odango-atama. Maybe I'll see you again."  
  
"You know japanese!" Usagi blinked in astonishment, then she pouted at the meaning of the words. "Don't  
  
call me that!"  
  
Haruka laughed, and gave her dancing partner a flourishing bow before leaving with Serge.  
  
Sacha Slobodianik was already at the doors with Gary and a few other of the family men. And when they heard  
  
voices being raised, Haruka and Serge quickened their steps.  
  
"--an't go blaming other people for your people's disloyality, Mr Slobodianik."  
  
Sacha's eyes flashed angrily, as Haruka reached his side. "You just tell your uncle he and I will have words  
  
as soon as he crawls out of the hole he hides in."  
  
"You are not very different from my uncle," Michiru gestured airily, then her eyes looked over at Haruka,  
  
and the blonde fought to not blanch in the light of that gaze. "He hides in holes. You, hide behind women."  
  
She didn't notice she had moved until she felt Slobodianik's arm shoot out and stop her from lunging at  
  
Michiru.  
  
"Oh, the tiger has claws." Michiru purred. Mocking her. Toying with her.  
  
Haruka forced herself to calm down, but could not help herself, shooting back a sharp retort. "Better a  
  
tiger than a bitch."  
  
"That was really classy." Michiru raised an eyebrow.  
  
"The truth is never kind." Haruka was a bit satisfied, when she saw Michiru look away. The violinist wasn't  
  
quick enough to hide the anger that crossed her face.  
  
"That's enough," Sacha said, but the smug smile on his face contradicted his play as peacemaker. It was  
  
obvious who he wanted to win in this argument. The group walked past Michiru.  
  
Haruka held the door open for Sacha, and was about to make her exit when Michiru called out to her.  
  
"Ms Tenoh." The tightness in that lilting voice told Haruka that Michiru was holding onto a magnificent  
  
amount of anger using all the self-control she could muster. "This isn't over. I will be seeing you again."  
  
"I'm looking forward to it, ma'am." Haruka said with a wry smile, that bordered on a sneer. 


	3. Killings: Itch

Killings: Itch  
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating:PG-13  
  
So's I get reviews. Reviews=more chapters. Damn this equation... alright folks, I spoil ya. But here you go, a new  
  
chapter!  
  
~~~  
  
"Ms Tenoh," The dark-haired girl gave Haruka a nod.  
  
"Ms Hino." Haruka gave the woman a quick lookover. So this was Usagi Tsukino's bodyguard. Rei Hino met the  
  
tall blonde's gaze without flinching.  
  
'Oh... this one... this one has guts.' Haruka tilted her head to one side and raised an eyebrow. She could  
  
see Rei's hand clench into a fist at her attitude.  
  
"I didn't see you last week at the meeting." Haruka said calmly, while both of them waited for Mr Tsukino to  
  
arrive. Sacha and Gary were discussing something, and ignored the dialogue the two women were having while Serge  
  
watched with minimal interest.  
  
"I had other things to attend to." Rei raised an eyebrow. "I actually had to do work, Ms Tenoh. Though I  
  
heard Usagi had a lot of fun dancing. Did you have fun too, Ms Tenoh?"  
  
Haruka took a step forward and bared her teeth in a predatory smile. "What did you think, Ms Hino?"  
  
Rei's eyes narrowed to slits. "Stay away from her, if you know what's good for you."  
  
"Where is that lovely girl?" Haruka pretended not to hear Rei, and cast her eyes around the empty hallways.  
  
"She's in her room." Rei crossed her arms. "Or else I would be with her."  
  
"Oh?" Haruka looked at Rei in a new light now. Rei obviously considered herself a close friend of Usagi.  
  
Maybe more than friends? Haruka decided to jump the gun. Leaning forward so only Rei could hear, she asked, "How  
  
close are you two?"  
  
"Close enough to not want you to interfere."  
  
"Rei!" Tsukino's voice echoed down the halls.  
  
"Girls, behave." Sacha, noticing the scene, called out.  
  
"Of course, Mr Slobodianik." Haruka nodded. Haruka took several steps back so she stood beside Slobodianik,  
  
but she did not take her eyes off Rei.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr Tsukino." Sacha shook hands with the japanese gentleman. "My new bodyguard needs to learn  
  
some manners."  
  
"Nono, its good for our girls to be on guard." Mr Tsukino returned the smile. "We shall get down to business  
  
then, no?"  
  
"Of course, sir." Slobodianik followed Tsukino to the library. "Gary, Serge, come with me. Haruka, you stay  
  
outside. We'll be in for a few hours."  
  
"Please, take a walk in the gardens if you get tired." Mr Tsukino offered. "I hate to seem such a bad host."  
  
Haruka nodded grudgingly. Rei brushed past her, and closed the doors behind the men that went in, giving  
  
Haruka a challenging smirk.  
  
"Bitch!" Haruka hissed under her breath. She sighed and turned around, standing outside the doors. It was  
  
just courtesy to leave one of your bodyguards outside. And she was sure Mr Slobodianik had enough manpower in there  
  
to protect him if things got ugly. Which wasn't very likely. Tsukino and Slobodianik had done business before, and  
  
they had always had a good understanding.  
  
"Haruka?"  
  
Haruka was startled out of her daydreams. She smiled at the sight of the girl. "Neko-chan."  
  
"First its Odango-atama, then neko-chan?" Usagi huffed. "You're very flirty, aren't you?"  
  
"Flirty?" Haruka's eyes widened in mock-surprise. "Me? Never! I only speak the truth!"  
  
Usagi grinned, letting Haruka's teasings slide, and looked past her at the closed double-doors. "Is my papa  
  
in there?"  
  
"Yes--aren't you supposed to be in your room?"  
  
Usagi frowned. "Rei isn't the boss of me."  
  
"Apparently not." Haruka smiled in the face of the girl's childishness. Usagi made to go past her, but  
  
Haruka quickly caught her round the waist. "Where are you going?"  
  
"To see my papa." Usagi pouted. "I want to go out!"  
  
"He's in a meeting right now."  
  
"He'll see me no matter what." Usagi squirmed away from Haruka's grip, and before the tall blonde could stop  
  
the girl, she had burst through the doors.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, she..." Haruka trailed off, gesturing futilely.  
  
"Its alright." Mr Tsukino sighed. "Usagi-chan, I'm talking to people right now, what do you want?"  
  
"I want to go out shopping!" Usagi clasped her hands together. "Pleeeease daddy?"  
  
"I have no-one to spare right now." Tsukino cast Sacha an apologetic look. "Rei has to help me with some  
  
business here."  
  
"Haruka has nothing to do," Sacha, eager to do business, motioned to his Left-hand woman. "She'll be happy  
  
to take the girl out."  
  
"What?!" Rei and Haruka both blurted out.  
  
"That's fine with me if its fine with her." Tsukino smiled, and looked at Haruka. "Is that alright?"  
  
Haruka opened and closed her mouth several times. Then seeing the look of death Rei was throwing at her,  
  
clamped her mouth shut and smiled sweetly. "I'd be delighted."  
  
Rei continued glowering.  
  
~~~  
  
'When did I sign up for a babysitting job?' Haruka almost growled out loud.  
  
They were shopping. With some of Usagi's friends. A Ms Ami Mizuno and a Ms Makoto Kino. The driver was  
  
following along, and Haruka knew right away it was Mr Tsukino's watchdog.  
  
"They're safe?" Haruka lagged behind with the driver, nodding towards the two girls.  
  
"Yeah," The driver nodded. His name was Ken. "They check out fine."  
  
"So who's the cute guy?" Haruka caught the barely audible whisper from the one named Makoto Kino.  
  
"She's a girl!" Usagi's louder hiss made Haruka chuckle. The three girls turned around to see if Haruka  
  
heard their conversation, and the assasin-turned-babysitter of the moment couldn't resist giving them a lascivious  
  
wink. All three girls turned bright red and made off quick-times.  
  
'This could be fun, though.' Haruka mused to herself.  
  
From store to store, Haruka and the driver faithfully followed the girl. The driver at one point, left for  
  
a cigarette break, assured that the girls would be at this one store for at least a good half-hour.  
  
"What do you think?" Usagi held a dress against her body. Like her personality, the dress was bright, sunny  
  
and friendly.  
  
"It suits you," Ami nodded.  
  
"Haven't you bought two of almost the same thing already?" Makoto complained.  
  
Haruka had to agree. The girl seriously needed a make-over. The bright happy look worked well with her...  
  
but showing a little more skin wouldn't hurt either.  
  
"I have a suggestion." Haruka spoke out. All three girls gave her their undivided attention. "I'm not great  
  
at this fashion stuff... I'm not a professional, but I know what looks good on a girl."  
  
Makoto was quick to agree, and Ami followed along, curious as to what Haruka would suggest. Usagi looked  
  
slightly wary.  
  
"What do you have in mind?"  
  
Haruka looked around the store, and spotting her selection in a corner of the store, motioned for the girls  
  
to follow her.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes." Haruka picked out several outfits, knowing what Usagi's size was by her previous purchases. "Go on.  
  
It can't hurt to try them on. And let down your hair while you're at it."  
  
Usagi bit her lower lip, and looked from the dress, to Haruka's smirking face.  
  
"What are you afraid of, Neko-chan?" Haruka purred. Indignant, Usagi snatched the selection from Haruka's  
  
hands and stormed to the dressing rooms. Makoto and Ami had to chuckle at the way Haruka had manipulated the  
  
situation. They waited a few minutes, and finally, the dressing room door open.  
  
Haruka had seen a lot of pretty girls in her lifetime, and Usagi was definitely easy on the eyes.  
  
"Wow." Ami pronounced. From the quiet one, that was quite a compliment.  
  
The silken strands of hair fell well below Usagi's waistline. Combined with the short black dress Haruka had  
  
picked out, with the low neckline, Haruka was sure Usagi would look like a femme fatale with the right make-up. Even  
  
with her light make=up now, with the lacy black dress, she looked like night-time. That was all the words Haruka  
  
could find to describe Usagi.  
  
"If you're not buying that, I'm buying it for you." Haruka found her tongue to say. "You don't even have to  
  
try the other ones on, they are GOLD on you."  
  
The compliments made Usagi blush. "But where am I going to wear this?"  
  
"Don't you girls go clubbing?"  
  
Usagi and Ami shook their heads. Makoto shrugged, and admitted that once in a while, she did.  
  
"You're not missing out on much, its just a place to flaunt what you have."  
  
"So... what sort of clubs do you go to, Ms Tenoh?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Call my Haruka."  
  
"Haruka...san." Makoto couldn't stop herself from using the japanese honorific.  
  
"Well... clubs that cater to a different clientale."  
  
"What does that mean?" Usagi asked innocently.  
  
"Clubs that cater to an all-women's crowd." Haruka clarified.  
  
"Oh." Usagi didn't look like she understood. Ami leaned over and whispered briefly in Usagi's ear, and the  
  
blonde colored. "Oh!"  
  
"I've always wanted to go to a lesbian bar." Makoto said aloud. "But I've never had anyone to go with."  
  
Haruka regarded Makoto with interest. The brunette wasn't bad looking. In fact, she was gorgeous. "I could  
  
take you out tonight, if you'd like. Give me your number and I'll pick you up tonight."  
  
"I'd like that very much." Makoto beamed. She looked slightly pleased with herself. Neither Usagi nor Ami  
  
looked too happy, though.  
  
"Ami-chan, you're welcome to join." Haruka offered politely.  
  
"I'm... I'll think about it."  
  
"I'm going to change out of this." Usagi said quietly, and went to the change room. She seemed slightly  
  
upset. Haruka pointed to Usagi's retreating form, and asked Makoto the silent question. Makoto shrugged.  
  
'Was it me?' Haruka sighed, and followed into the dressing room section. There was no-one else there, and  
  
Makoto and Ami stayed outside.  
  
"Neko-chan?" Haruka knocked softly on Usagi's changeroom door. "Are you alright?"  
  
There was a long silence, in which Haruka contemplated whether or not to kick in the door, before there was  
  
a soft click and the door unlocked. Cautiously, Haruka made her way in.  
  
"Could you held me with this?" Usagi pointed to the zipper at the back of her dress. Silently, Haruka closed  
  
the door behind her. She reached out and took hold of the zipper, and slowly unzipped the dress. It was like  
  
unwrapping a Christmas present, really. Smooth creamy skin was bared for her eyes to see, and she couldn't resist a  
  
slight caress. Usagi shivered slightly, and leaned back, into Haruka's arms.  
  
Surprised, but feeling bold, she ran her hands over Usagi's shoulders, causing the dress to slide off her  
  
body. Haruka's hands stopped their wanderings, as if suddenly realizing something.  
  
"I'm sorry," Haruka stammered, and left the changing room quickly. What the hell?! What was she doing?! If  
  
she got into a relationship with the Tsukino girl, her boss would have her head!  
  
Ken was just coming into the store, having finished his cigarette.  
  
"Where's Ms Tsukino?"  
  
"Changing," Haruka nodded to the back. "She's okay, don't worry. But I think its about time to go."  
  
Ken glanced at his watch, and nodded. "Mr Tsukino should be done by now."  
  
The drive home was pretty quiet. Makoto and Ami would try to start a conversation with Usagi, but she would  
  
barely answer them. Her eyes kept on darting over to Haruka, who was looking out the window, ignoring the occupants  
  
of the car.  
  
"Thanks, Ken." Haruka said to the driver, when they pulled up at the house. She couldn't leave the car fast  
  
enough.  
  
"So... tonight?" Makoto called after the retreating assasin.  
  
Haruka thought about cancelling out. But she was in the mood now. She had an itch that needed to be  
  
scratched.  
  
"Sure." Haruka nodded. "I'll call you tonight."  
  
Usagi watched the woman escape to the inner sanctum of the house, and shivered slightly at the thought of  
  
those hands, on her bare skin again.  
  
~~~  
  
"Sir." Haruka walked in the garden of Sacha Slobodianik's vast backyard. There were men guarding the  
  
perimeter of the house, and the well-lit gardens left nothing unseen.  
  
"How are the men reacting to you, Haruka?" Sacha reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a cigar.  
  
Haruka took out a lighter and lit it for her boss.  
  
"They're warming up to me." Haruka reported.  
  
"Good," Sacha let out a lungful of smoke. "They don't suspect?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"That's good." Slobodianik's face was expressionless. "You have the night off, Haruka. I trust you, and I  
  
hope my trust is well placed."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
Sacha cracked a smile, and placed a hand on Haruka's shoulder. "Call me Sacha, Haruka."  
  
"Of course... Sacha."  
  
"Good. Now go, the night's young."  
  
The main reason that Haruka was here, was known only to Sacha and the elusive blonde. To run down a rat.  
  
Sacha knew there was still someone within the organization that was leaking information to the Bungarios. Haruka was  
  
his personal bloodhound.  
  
"Hello, Makoto?" But now, she had the night off.  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka waited inside the club, at the bar with a clear view of the entrance. The ladies were out tonight!  
  
There were the predators, eyes darting around, looking for new blood. The couples who danced slowly, no matter how  
  
fast-paced the song was. The jittery newbies that sipped their cocktails nervously. Then there were those that were  
  
just out to have a good time. The music was really good, and the bartenders were kept busy with customers. Haruka  
  
threw back a shot of B-52, and glanced at the door again.  
  
She almost spat out her drink.  
  
There was Usagi, entering the club tentatively, right behind Makoto and Ami. 


	4. Killings: In Da Club

Killings: In Da Club  
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating:NC-17  
  
A new chapter. I like the feedback you guys get, and if you got good suggestions, I usually cater to them :) So give  
  
me a holler and I'll see what I can do!  
  
WARNING: This gets slightly rated, okay? Come on, kids. Those who have been in a club, you aren't surprised that  
  
this chapter is NC-17. What with all the girls in clothing that barely covers them, come on! Oh yeah, alcohol  
  
consumption in this chapter. Kids, you don't need alcohol to have fun... but it helps. :D  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka wondered when her life had gotten so confusing. And when did she sign up for a babysitter job?  
  
Between showing Makoto a good time, to fending off predators that wanted a taste of Ami; Haruka had her hands full.  
  
And then there was Usagi. She was in that dress that Haruka had picked out at the mall that day, and her  
  
hair was down and her make-up done. Dark and sultry, but that air of innocence permeated through the whole thing,  
  
making her even more irresistable.  
  
But Usagi, Haruka didn't have to take care of. The little rivalry she and Rei had was quickly forgotten when  
  
Rei ducked into the club in search of her ward.  
  
"Thank you!" Haruka shouted above the noise in the club. Rei caught the gratitude, and despite not getting  
  
along with Haruka at the beginning, gave the woman a smile of understanding. Makoto was trying to get Ami to dance,  
  
but the girl was an unrepentant wallflower.  
  
And despite everything, Haruka was having fun with four women she barely knew.  
  
"Bartender! twenty-five shots of tequila!" Haruka ordered. Five shots of tequila was served quickly, with  
  
slices of lime and a salt-shaker accompanying the order. She passed the bartender her credit card to start a tab.  
  
"Ms Hino!" Haruka offered one to Rei, as a truce.  
  
"Ms Tenoh." Rei took the drink graciously. The other girls followed suit.  
  
"Kampai!" Haruka raised her glass, and all the girls downed their tequila, licked their salt, and sucked  
  
their lime. All of them reached for a second round, and downed that too, with salt and lime. Third round, Rei stole  
  
Usagi's shot.  
  
"Rei!!" Usagi whined. The blonde was already half-way gone.  
  
"Uh-uh," Rei shook her head. "You can't take your alcohol at all."  
  
"I can so!" Usagi giggled, wavering unsteadily.  
  
"She can get drunk on one glass of champagne!" Rei explained to Haruka. One arm around Usagi, Rei picked up  
  
another shot of tequila.  
  
"Here," Ami offered hers to Haruka. The blue-haired girl was getting red. Haruka took two shots, Rei took  
  
one, and Makoto took one.  
  
"Tastes like... paint thinner." Makoto gagged after her fourth shot. Between Haruka and Rei, they polished  
  
off the rest.  
  
"So do you come here often?" Makoto asked Haruka, shouting to be heard.  
  
"Not really." Haruka replied. "I'm usually too busy to go out. This is my night off."  
  
"Then you should dance!" Makoto tugged on Haruka's hand, and Haruka found that she couldn't resist. Sean  
  
Paul started playing, and Haruka placed a hand on Makoto's waist, pulled her close so they wouldn't be seperated in  
  
the crowd. Makoto moved suggestively against her.  
  
And the dance begun.  
  
More like the sex-with-clothes-on marathon. Grinding against each other, the clothes in between them didn't  
  
matter, as their breathing became more ragged, and Haruka felt heat building up inside her.  
  
Heat condensed on the walls and ceilings of the club, and sweat dripped off everyone. Seeing Ami standing at  
  
the bar, Haruka excused herself, and practically dragged the demure girl onto the dancefloor, sandwiching Ami  
  
between Makoto and herself.  
  
"Enjoy your night out, Ami." Haruka grinned, and was pleasantly surprised when Ami had some moves to show  
  
them. Very surprising indeed. Haruka actually found herself trying to keep up with her. Must have been the tequila.  
  
'Its always the quiet one...' Haruka had to take a break. She had had a good eight shots of tequila. Haruka  
  
got herself a corona and then went off in search of Rei and Usagi, who had found themselves a seat on a couch in a  
  
tiny alcove of the club.  
  
"What's up?" The noise wasn't as loud here, so Haruka didn't have to scream to be heard.  
  
"She's sleeping it off." Usagi was curled up against Rei, snoring slightly. "Told you she couldn't take her  
  
alcohol."  
  
"Listen," Haruka sat down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude today."  
  
"Its okay, comes with the territory." Rei waved away the apology. Haruka offered Rei her corona, and the  
  
dark-eyed woman took a quick swig.  
  
"She's an amazing woman." Haruka nodded to the sleeping blonde.  
  
Rei blurted out, "We're not together."  
  
"Oh?" Haruka raised an eyebrow.  
  
"She's... engaged to someone else."  
  
Haruka took a long swallow of beer. "That's ridiculous. She's barely legal!"  
  
"Mamoru Chiba, asked for her hand." Rei shrugged helplessly, forlornly. "Mr Tsukino thinks that the  
  
arrangement is good for Usagi, and for his company."  
  
A faint image of another japanese gentleman that was at the function last week was conjured up in Haruka's  
  
head. The man had to be at least early thirties, late twenties. Usagi was nineteen by just a few months. And when  
  
Haruka took a closer look at Rei, noticed that the girl was barely out of her teens.  
  
"She'll be married as soon as she finishes school." Rei looked like she was in need of alcohol. Haruka was  
  
more than willing to pass her half-finished corona to the brunette. Rei finished off the bottle and slammed it on  
  
the little table at the end of the sofa.  
  
"Hey!" Haruka called for one of the harried looking waitresses. "Get me two blowjobs, and a dozen Heinekens.  
  
Put it on Haruka Tenoh's tab."  
  
The waitress disappeared, and reappeared with the drinks.  
  
"You know how to take blowjobs?" Haruka motioned to the two coffee-colored shots with wisps of cream on the  
  
top. Rei shook her head. "Put your hands behind your back, put your mouth over the glass, and toss it back. No  
  
hands, okay?"  
  
The two did their blowjobs, than sat back to enjoy their beer.  
  
"So how did you end up in this line of work?" Haruka nursed her drink. She was starting to feel the  
  
beginnings of a very good buzz.  
  
"You mean how'd I'd end up babysitting this one?" Rei looked down at Usagi and smiled softly at the girl.  
  
"Long story."  
  
"I got time."  
  
"Don't you wanna go out and dance?" Rei asked.  
  
Haruka got up and took a peek at the dancefloor. She came back chuckling, and sat down. "Well, my dance  
  
partners are making out with each other."  
  
"No shit." Rei laughed.  
  
"You know... birds of a feather." Haruka picked up one of Usagi's high-heeled shoes, and gave it to Rei.  
  
"Its possible that Usagi... you know."  
  
Rei took the shoe, then shook her head ruefully. "Thanks. But even if she is... it wouldn't help me in the  
  
least bit, Tenoh."  
  
"Call me Haruka."  
  
Rei smirked. "Then you call me Rei."  
  
"Done deal." Haruka held out her bottle and touched against Rei's in a toast. "So tell me about your long  
  
story, Rei-san."  
  
"Of course, Haruka-san." Rei grinned. "Well... I'm a Shinto priestess."  
  
"Get out!"  
  
"I'm not joking." Rei laughed. "I'm an honest to god, fully trained, ass-kicking, demon-exorcising Shinto  
  
priestess."  
  
"Okay..." Haruka polished off her beer, and reached for another one. "Say I believe you, Rei. Continue with  
  
this story."  
  
"My father is a prominent politician back in Japan." Rei grimaced at the thought of her father. "I'm his  
  
illegitimate child. My mother died in childbirth, and in respect to her wishes, I was hidden from the public eye.  
  
She loved my father so much, that she didn't want my existence to hinder his career. Just that fact that I was there  
  
went against his 'family unit' campaign. I only know who he is by his campaign posters every election or so."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"My father didn't want anything to do with me." Rei started on her second Heineken. "After my mother died,  
  
her father, my grandfather took me in. He was a Shinto priest. So it was only natural that I followed that path. I  
  
was naturally inclined to it, anyways."  
  
"No offence, but your father sounds like an ass."  
  
"No offence taken." A swig of beer to wet her lips, and Rei comtinued, emotionlessly. "He was responsible  
  
enough to send a check every month or so, like child-support. To my understanding, the checks would keep on coming  
  
as long as I didn't go looking for him."  
  
"How did you meet Usagi?" Haruka decided to change the subject. The mention of Usagi's name seemed to perk  
  
Rei up a little bit.  
  
"I went to an all-girl's Catholic school--hey!" Rei smacked Haruka on the arm when the assassin burst out  
  
laughing.  
  
"I--I'm sorry." Haruka chuckled. "But... an all-girl's Catholic school? The stereotypes live on!"  
  
"Shut up!" Rei blushed. "It was the best school there was, okay?"  
  
"Okay, okay... sorry. Continue with your story."  
  
"I met Usagi when she had come up to the shrine to buy some good-luck charms... exams were coming up, and  
  
she isn't a model student." Rei paused to wet her lips with a bit of beer again. "We got to talking, and I offered  
  
to help tutor her. Then my grandfather died."  
  
Rei stopped talking now, and Haruka waited patiently.  
  
"Mr Tsukino took me in, adopted me in a way." Rei shrugged. "I have a sort of sixth sense to danger, and it  
  
works well. My grandfather, when he was alive, insisted that I learned hand-to-hand combat and kept myself in shape.  
  
The body is a shrine for the soul and all that. I could go everywhere that Usagi went, keep a close eye on her. I  
  
was custom-fitted to the job. Not only would Usagi accept my presence, but... well, I would willingly die if that  
  
was what it took to keep her happy and safe."  
  
That idea was very foreign to Haruka. She'd never really cared about anyone enough to die for someone.  
  
Living was something she enjoyed, and Haruka lived a very hedonistic lifestyle. Everything was just means to an end.  
  
If, at the end, she was happy, then everything that lead up to that happiness was justified. No matter how much  
  
other people had to suffer for it.  
  
"I can't say I've ever felt that way about anyone." Haruka gave voice to her thoughts.  
  
"That's too bad," Rei chuckled, and put her feet up on the little table, causing several bottles to roll off  
  
said table. "But I don't believe it. You've never been in love before?"  
  
Haruka laughed nastily. "I think you're an adequate bodyguard, Rei. I'm sure you've researched about me. I  
  
would like to take this opportunity to say that my reputation is every bit as outrageously bloody as everyone says  
  
it is."  
  
Rei nodded, leaning back on the couch, her fingers trailing through Usagi's hair. "You're a very dangerous  
  
individual, Haruka. And I'm glad you have no reason to harm my family."  
  
Haruka smiled. "If you know that, maybe you should put away that gun you have pointed at me. The one in your  
  
shoe."  
  
Rei grinned, and reached up to her boot, pulled out the little Freedom Arms .22 magnum that was hidden  
  
there. "You're good."  
  
"You would've tried to disable me instead of killing me outright." Haruka grinned right back. "If you had  
  
reached for your piece and tried anything, I would have shot her."  
  
Haruka held open her coat just a bit. She had a gun trained on Usagi.  
  
"That wasn't neccessary." Rei's smile fell.  
  
"Don't test me, Rei. Circumstances make us friends. I don't like having a gun on me the entire night."  
  
"You noticed?"  
  
"When you stepped in through the door, you reached out and put your hand on the small of Usagi's back. You  
  
had a gun hidden in that hand." Haruka pointed out.  
  
"You're good, Haruka."  
  
"You have no idea. I'm also betting you have a shoulder holster, and your gun's safety is off."  
  
Rei reached into the inside of her coat, then picked up her beer. "Its on now."  
  
"Good. I hope it is."  
  
"Good thing these bars have really low security, hm?" Rei remarked.  
  
"They should make all the people who come in here check their coats."  
  
"They don't expect much trouble."  
  
"And I don't feel inclined to give this bar trouble." Haruka raised her bottle of beer to Rei, and took a  
  
swig. "They have a really good atmosphere here."  
  
Rei reached into her coat again, and pulled out her wallet. She placed a couple of hundred dollar bills on  
  
the table. "Think that'll cover the waitress' tip?"  
  
"More than enough."  
  
"I'm going to take her home." Rei motioned to Usagi. "And the rest of the girls. Its getting late. Her  
  
father would pop a blood vessel if he knew where she was tonight."  
  
"It was nice talking to you, Rei."  
  
"It was very nice to talk to you, Haruka." Rei nodded gravely, and shook hands with Haruka firmly. And the  
  
Shinto priestess had to suppress a shiver. Even without the research, Rei knew this was a dangerous woman. Death  
  
glared at her from over Haruka's shoulder.  
  
"Watch her for a second, I've got to get Makoto and Ami." Rei gently extracted herself from Usagi's grip,  
  
managing to wake up the blonde in the process.  
  
"But Reiiii..." Usagi whined softly, holding onto the hem of Rei's sleeve.  
  
"Stay here, princess. I'll be right back."  
  
Usagi sat there, swaying a bit, and Haruka watched her warily.  
  
"Woah!" Haruka leaned forward quickly and caught the blonde before she fell. Usagi giggled, cheeks flushed  
  
attractively.  
  
"You... you know, Ms Tenoh..." Usagi slurred. "I-I really think you're pretty..."  
  
And before Haruka could stop her, Usagi had leaned forward and pressed her mouth against Haruka's. The  
  
assasin tasted strawberry lipgloss, and was reminded of all things innocent and sweet.  
  
"No," Haruka pushed Usagi away. "No."  
  
"Why not?" So adorable. Usagi looked like she was about to cry.  
  
"Because you're drunk." Haruka couldn't even believe what she was saying. What Haruka would normally do when  
  
presented with this kind of situation was take this tasty morsel somewhere, have a little nibble, and return her to  
  
her to Rei, who would never report this because it would cost her her head. Haruka had no such qualms against taking  
  
barely conscious young things to bed and leaving in the morning for whoever else to clean up the mess she had made.  
  
But... just looking at the heir to the Tsukino fortune, Haruka couldn't do it.  
  
"Got them." Rei came back, with Ami and Makoto on her heels. Ami and Makoto were both red-faced, embarassed,  
  
and looked like they had just remembered there were people in the club who would be able to tease them constantly  
  
about the new development in their friendship.  
  
"See you girls later." Haruka handed Usagi over to Rei. Makoto managed a shaky wave while Ami was looking  
  
down at the floor in mortification. "Maybe we'll go out again, seeing how you girls enjoyed the night so much."  
  
Rei practically had to chase after Makoto and Ami, the couple made such a quick getaway!  
  
Haruka sat alone for a few minutes, nursing her beer. Then she tossed everything back and slammed the bottle  
  
back on the tabletop. The embers in her loins had been coaxed into an inferno. She really needed to quench that fire  
  
tonight. There was the VIP room, which she was privy to. Now all she needed was a partner for a private dance...  
  
There, on the dance floor.  
  
Haruka hadn't noticed her before. An evil smirk spread across her face, and she made her way to the woman,  
  
dancing alone in the middle of the floor. Women around her vied for her attention. Haruka could see one try to dance  
  
up to her, but a cold look sent would-be suitors scurrying.  
  
'This will be fun...'  
  
~~~  
  
She danced on the dancefloor, oblivious to everything, and everyone. She was burning up tonight, and she  
  
wanted something to sate the fire.  
  
Slowly, arms twined around her, and when she tried to pull away, gripped her harder, swayed with her and  
  
found harmony. Long fingers trailed across her bared midriff, and she grudgingly allowed this brave, unknown dancer  
  
to continue.  
  
Groaned, gasped when teeth teased the soft parts of her ear and leaned back against a strong body.  
  
Bold hands in the darkness, disappearing under her shirt, scraping the underside of her breasts.  
  
Enough, enough.  
  
This was what she needed.  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka could feel the body underneath her hands succumb to her ministrations. Felt how hot she was for her  
  
and chuckled. Her target tried to turn around.  
  
"Uh-uh," Haruka held her hostage in her strong grip. Looking around, she noticed a woman dancing, the tie  
  
around her neck was loose, and Haruka pilferred the silk cloth, unbeknownest to the owner.  
  
~~~  
  
Over her eyes, something silk and soft. Tied tight around the back of her head.  
  
She wanted to see who was turning her on so much, but... the mystery was the best. Whoever it was, even if  
  
they were ugly as sin, knew how to please her, pressed all the right buttons.  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka continued dancing, leading the way slowly to the VIP room. The heat had been stoked to unbearable  
  
temperatures. The body against her writhed, and she turned the woman around, so they were facing each other. The  
  
bouncer guarding the VIP room allowed her into the darkness, and Haruka moved to a space for herself, away from  
  
other couples.  
  
The shirt was pushed up, no bra, and Haruka bent down, kissed the bared skin. Felt her victim arch up  
  
against her touch and pinned her hands down. The pure evilness of the scheme made Haruka's blood rush, and she just  
  
wanted to tear off this woman's clothes and take her fully. But no... Haruka teased the flesh, heard the woman  
  
plead.  
  
~~~  
  
She cried out out when fingers entered her, stroked her experimentally.  
  
"Do you want it?" Her mysterious lover asked huskily. The voice was sexy. And curiosity was getting the  
  
better of her.  
  
"I want it."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Please..."  
  
The rythym started, and she moved against a hand that guided her like no-one else. Hit all the right spots,  
  
knew where to kiss. Felt that pressure in her chest.  
  
Then the movement stopped.  
  
"No!" She gasped out. "Please."  
  
There was a silence, and she tried moving against those still fingers, but stopped when there was a growled  
  
warning and the hand almost retreated from within her.  
  
"Please!"  
  
Another silence.  
  
"Do you want this?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka held down the woman's hands with one hand, then leaned forward, her teeth catching hold of the  
  
make-shift blindfold and tugging it down. She waited patiently, for the teal-headed woman's eyes to adjust to the  
  
dark.  
  
"Imagine meeting you here, Ms Kaioh." Haruka grinned. Michiru opened her mouth to scream, but Haruka leaned  
  
down, sucked the breath away from the violinist's lips and now fucked the woman beneath her with a vengeance.  
  
Michiru struggled for a bit, sure, she tried her best.  
  
But Haruka had the upper hand. And soon, had a tearful Michiru writhing against her, an unwilling  
  
participant to this strange dance.  
  
"Do you want it?"  
  
Michiru remained silent, except for the groans that were forced out of her throat. Her eyes remained closed.  
  
"I said: Do you want it?"  
  
Haruka stopped her movements, and Michiru opened her eyes, lust shining clear in those deep ocean blues. And  
  
hate. Such a gorgeous amount of hate.  
  
"Yes, you bitch. Is that what you want to hear?! YES!"  
  
Haruka grinned, let go of Michiru's hands, felt nails dig through her coat into her back, nails scratching  
  
against the back of her neck.  
  
"Damn right that's what I want to hear." And the blonde leaned down, claimed Michiru's lips with her own and  
  
tasted the bitterness of tears.  
  
"You're beautiful you know that? You're fucking beautiful..." Haruka whispered hoarsely against Michiru's  
  
ears, feeling that Bungario's niece was close. Damn close.  
  
"Now... scream for me. I want to hear you." Haruka upped the pace a little, and that pushed Michiru over the  
  
edge. Her face, pressed against Haruka's neck, was muffled in between the sobs. But Haruka heard it. Felt that  
  
wonderful release from this beautiful woman reverberate in her jugular, rush through her blood.  
  
Stroked her down... tamed that fire as her hips stopped thrusting. The bass from outside killed any sound  
  
that people in this dark room made.  
  
"Don't touch me."  
  
Kissed that spot behind Michiru's ear, landed another kiss where she could feel the teal-headed woman's  
  
pulse flutter against her lips.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Michiru writhed now, lashed out. Haruka caught her head, and kissed her deeply, gaining a  
  
perverse pleasure from how much Michiru wanted her, yet didn't want her at the same time. The struggling subsided  
  
slowly, and hands grabbed fistful of Haruka's jacket and hugged the blonde closer.  
  
Haruka took this opportunity to pull away, a grin on her face.  
  
That will do. That will do. The power rush was just as good as sex.  
  
"See you next time, Ms Kaioh." Haruka grinned. "Or, since we've gotten to know each other so much better  
  
now, can I call you Michiru?"  
  
"FUCK YOU!"  
  
"Maybe next time, darlin'."  
  
Michiru got up, tried to lash out at Haruka. The blonde roughly pushed Michiru back on the couch. Regarded  
  
the frustrated woman for a few seconds, then exited the VIP room, and the club.  
  
The night hadn't been a complete waste.  
  
~~~  
  
For those that wanted to see Haruka and Michiru together, here you go. Hope you not too disturbed, but I'm trying  
  
to capture Haruka the heartless Assasin attitude. :D Reviews, reviews, reviews! Do I write messed up shit? Tell me!  
  
Should I continue? Tell me! Should I stop? I dunno unless you tell me! :D 


	5. Killings: Happy Birthday, Michiru

Killings: Happy Birthday, Michiru  
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating: R  
  
Weee.... new story. Hope you like, you like. Thanks for the reviews, guys! Send me individual emails if you want me  
  
to get back to you. If not, I'll be lazy and just bask in the glow of your praise. :D Remember ladies and gentlemen,  
  
your reviews really get me going.  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka stood behind Sacha's chair, and watched as the contract was drawn up. Both Slobodianik and Tsukino  
  
had several lawyers with them as they went over, read and reread the contract until it was to both party's  
  
satisfaction.  
  
"We'll have the contract finalized and processed, then bring the finished copy to you." Slobodianik's  
  
lawyers took the contract. Some major changes had been made, but everything was good. Haruka didn't understand hair  
  
nor hide of this contract... but it seemed pretty damn impressive. And the sum of money involved...  
  
"It was a pleasure, Mr Tsukino." Sacha shook hands warmly with the other man.  
  
"Its always a pleasure to do business with you, Mr Slobodianik." Tsukino clapped the other man on the  
  
shoulder. "This should help both of our companies very well. I have told you that my daughter will be getting  
  
married some time in the next year?"  
  
"No," Sacha looked surprised. "You haven't."  
  
"Well, I've been thinking of retiring, and just between you and me," Tsukino leaned forward. "I've been  
  
meaning to leave everything to my son in law."  
  
"If he's as capable as you are, Mr Tsukino--"  
  
"Trust me, Slobodianik." Mr Tsukino gave a thumbs up. "I tell you this now so it won't be a rude surprise.  
  
You've heard of Mamoru Chiba?"  
  
Sacha relaxed visibly, and Tsukino gave a hearty laugh. "You see? Nothing to be worried about!"  
  
"He's a sharp man, sir. I've dealt with him a few times. Man of few words, but a good negotiator."  
  
"Of course, I'll be around for some time."  
  
"Quite understandable, sir."  
  
"Your daughter is still quite young, though."  
  
"I just want the best for her." Mr Tsukino heaved a sigh. "She's protested too. But he has a genuine  
  
interest in her, and she'll be well taken care of. Don't think I haven't made safeguards for her happiness."  
  
Haruka stole a glance at Rei. The girl's face was stoically emotionless. That was how Haruka could tell the  
  
bodyguard was hurting like nothing else.  
  
"Anyways," Tsukino looked at Rei pointedly. "Rei will be with her. They're like sisters. Rei will take good  
  
care of Usagi, won't she?"  
  
Rei nodded, and answered honestly. "Yes, Mr Tsukino."  
  
It was the worse cruelty of all. Rei ducked her head down, to hide the beginnings of her tears.  
  
"Are you alright, Rei?" Mr Tsukino asked worriedly. The man didn't intentionally want to cause Rei pain. But  
  
he did so anyways.  
  
"Just... something in my eye, sir." Rei looked up again, wiping her eyes. Catching Haruka staring at her,  
  
her face took on a determined look. What she said was more for Haruka's benefit than Tsukino's. "I'm alright."  
  
"And I'm the queen of England," Haruka muttered under her breath...  
  
There was a knock on the door, and a flustered servant entered.  
  
"Sir, you have guests. And they refuse to leave before seeing you."  
  
Mr Tsukino and Sacha both perked up at this news. "Who is it?"  
  
"Mr Bungario and his entourage, sir."  
  
Tsukino and Slobodianik headed towards the door, bearing forbidding looks on their faces. Bungario was not  
  
in good standings with either men. The italian had made several bad choices, and some of them included making  
  
Slobodianik his enemy. And in association, making Tsukino his enemy.  
  
"Ah, everybody's here to welcome me." Bungario smiled at seeing both men. Rei stepped a bit closer to  
  
Tsukino. Haruka stood calmly at Sacha's side. But her attention right now, was all for Michiru. The blue-eyed  
  
violinist was staring at her so hard... and if looks could kill... wow. Michiru would have killed her ten times  
  
over.  
  
"Bungario, what do you want?" Sacha growled.  
  
"Well, I was just in the neighborhood, and thought I could drop by for dinner." His eyes were dancing over  
  
the lawyers that hung in the background. "So... is there a deal I'm not aware of? Not privy to?"  
  
"You're not welcome here." Slobodianik stepped forward, menacingly. Bungario's men shifted a bit to better  
  
protect the man if anything should happen to him.  
  
"Sacha, Sacha... still so... angry." Bungario sneered. "This is not your house, Slobodianik. Don't overstep  
  
your boundaries."  
  
"I will take care of this, old friend." Tsukino patted Sacha's shoulder reassuringly. "Bungario, I'm sure I  
  
made my intentions clear at the last shareholders' meeting. I would be liquidating my hold on the shares."  
  
Tsukino put a hand on Sacha's shoulder. "I am going to inform everybody at the next meeting of my decision.  
  
The contract has already been written up."  
  
Bungario's face changed from pleasantly compliant, to darkly threatening. "Mr Tsukino, I would advise  
  
against that. ECS would fall under Slobodianik's care. I mean, I've been hearing that his corporation is falling  
  
apart. People might get... angry. You association to him would put you in danger, Mr Tsukino. And if Slobodianik  
  
cannot take care of himself, how do you expect him to help you if, lets say... someone decides to lash out against  
  
you?"  
  
"I would say that's a threat." Rei stepped forward, in front of Mr Tsukino.  
  
Bungario's men immediately drew their weapons, and Haruka pushed Sacha behind her and had her guns out in a  
  
split second, pointed at Bungario.  
  
"Now now." Bungario looked out from behind one of his bodyguards. "Lets put those weapons away, girls,  
  
before you hurt yourself."  
  
Rei was gritting her teeth in rage. Her finger itched to pull the trigger. After several tense moments,  
  
everyone put their weapons away.  
  
"Anyways, I just came by to drop off an invitation to my niece's birthday party." Bungario turned to give  
  
Michiru an oily smile. Haruka felt a slight pinge of pity for the beautiful girl. To be related to such a stupid  
  
wop...  
  
"It would please me... if you could attend." Michiru said carefully. Her eyes were on Haruka's, and the  
  
carefully concealed rage was all too apparent to the blonde.  
  
"Of course." Mr Tsukino smiled graciously at Michiru. "I would be there."  
  
"Could I count on your appearance, Mr Slobodianik?"  
  
At the risk of seeming petty, Sacha couldn't say no. "Of course, Ms Kaioh."  
  
~~~  
  
"I can't believe you would leave this to the last minute." Aino Minako looked her friend over impatiently.  
  
"Here, try this dress on!"  
  
The saleswoman did her best to help Michiru and Minako out in their selection for an appropriate dress and  
  
bustled around, bringing out numerous dresses.  
  
"I don't really feel like a party, Mina-chan." Michiru spoke in her native Japanese. "Its all Uncle Gio's  
  
idea anyways."  
  
"I'm sure the party'll be fun." Mina picked up a dress and pressed it against Michiru. "Howabout this one?"  
  
"Mmmm..." Michiru looked in the mirror and furrowed her brows. "No."  
  
She drifted on her thoughts, and felt rage tighten her chest again when she remembered that night with  
  
Haruka. That cocky grin. And those damned talented hands and lips caressing her, turning that passionate anger to  
  
a raging lust. Shit, she acted like a bitch in heat that night.  
  
Michiru pressed the tips of her fingers against her forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache.  
  
"Okay, how about this one?" Minako held up a dress. Michiru gave it a critical once-over, and without trying  
  
it on, told the saleslady to bag it, and the dresses before it. If this dress didn't fit, the other ones would.  
  
"Michiru-san..." The younger girl linked arms with the violinist as they exited the store, lugging several  
  
bags. "What's wrong? You've been acting totally down lately."  
  
"Just... problems." Michiru shook her head. "Uncle Giovanni is an incredible lech, the party... everything.  
  
I wish I was back in Japan."  
  
"Why don't you tell your mother?"  
  
"My mother?" Michiru laughed bitterly. "If I told her, she would have encouraged me to return his  
  
affections."  
  
"That's bad." Minako chewed on her lower lip in concentration. She had been a guest at the Bungario mansion,  
  
and had experienced some of Giovanni's advances. She had always managed to duck him, and thanked god that she had  
  
made the decision of checking into a hotel after an uncomfortable weekend.  
  
"Oh, look over there!" Minako pointed to a jewellery shop. There, on display, was a gorgeous necklace made  
  
of tear-shaped diamonds. "Now that, would look great with your dress."  
  
"Yeah..." Michiru looked at it wistfully. But her shopping spree today was going to be hell to pay back. She  
  
was a very proud girl. As a violinist, she was extremely talented and her name was brought up a lot in the musical  
  
circles. Her name was recognized, and artists would pay good money to have her play as part of their piece. Not only  
  
are the fans of that particular artist exposed to her music, but Michiru's fans--and she had quite a following--  
  
bought records because of a mention of Michiru's name. Presently, she had been doing a lot of charity concerts, so  
  
had less money to burn than usual.  
  
"Oh... its so pretty!" Minako was practically jumping up and down in excitement. "It would look soooo good  
  
with that silk blue dress. The one I said was too plain? Well, this would remedy that! Accessorize!"  
  
"Diamonds are a girl's best friend, huh?" Michiru deadpanned.  
  
"Stop being such a stick in the mud, Michiru-san..." Minako pouted. "Come on, don't let this party get you  
  
down! We could really have fun! Lets just go inside and look!"  
  
Her happiness was infectious, and Michiru finally cracked a smile. "Sorry, Mina-chan. But I have no money  
  
for this necklace. Howabout if we go to a cafe and get ourselves a parfait?"  
  
Sometimes, spending time with Minako was like spending time with a child. The blonde's eyes were gleaming at  
  
the mention of a treat.  
  
"A fruit parfait? Really?" Minako straightened up importantly. "I'll treat."  
  
"Oh, what a gentleman," Michiru purred. She laughed lightly when Minako blushed. The blonde knew about  
  
Michiru's preference and didn't mind at all... but when Michiru slyly slipped in inuendoes and flirted with her,  
  
she'd get really shy and start stuttering. She wasn't uncomfortable with Michiru flirting with her, it was just that  
  
Minako was uncomfortable with ANYONE flirting with her.  
  
Haruka watched as the two women walked away companionably. Then she went up to the display case and looked  
  
in, knowing exactly what they had been looking at. It suited the other woman so perfectly. Feeling particularly  
  
malicious, she smirked and walked into the the jewellery store.  
  
"That necklace out there." Haruka jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "Wrap it up. Its a birthday gift."  
  
"A great selection, sir." The salesman gushed. Haruka grinned, ignoring the man's mistake at addressing her.  
  
He bustled around, and came back with the necklace. It cost a fortune, Haruka absorbed the information the man shot  
  
at her, and impatiently held out a MasterCard, which the man fumbled to take.  
  
Each diamond, perfectly set, it would drape the wearer's neck in platinum and diamonds. Small sapphires  
  
sparkled in strategetic places amongst the crystalline gleam of earth's hardest precious stone. It was an expensive  
  
gift.  
  
She could just see it on Michiru...  
  
"--girlfriend must be *very* lucky." The man continued to babble on, as he brought back a sheet for Haruka  
  
to sign. The card had cleared, and the purchase made.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend." Haruka corrected the man. "We don't like each other at all."  
  
"You're *very* generous sir. Maybe you'd like to meet my daughter." The salesman flattered.  
  
"Oh, I'm pretty sure you'd hate it if were acquainted with your daughter." Haruka laughed. She made sure the  
  
necklace was inside, took a glance at the certificate of authentication, and closed the box.  
  
"Ah, you're joking sir. If you treat people you don't like with such gifts, your wife would be very happy!  
  
And your child would grow up to be very happy! My daughter, she looks about your age!"  
  
Haruka looked at the jewellery salesman with a bemused smile. "Tell you what. Your daughter sounds like  
  
quite a girl. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to meet her."  
  
They traded contacts, and Haruka felt even more evil. If only the man knew he was delivering his daughter  
  
straight to the devil.  
  
~~~  
  
The party was held at a large banquet hall.  
  
Michiru received her guests wearily, a smile pasted on her face. It wouldn't do well to irk any of the  
  
guests that her uncle had taken the liberty to invite.  
  
"They're here for you, m'dear." Giovanni Bungario had said lightly, and squeezed her ass appreciatively. She  
  
almost turned on her heels to slap the man, but held her temper in tight reign. It wouldn't do to upset the brother  
  
of her new father. Her mother... even though she had little love for the gold-digging woman, had pleaded with her to  
  
act nice. And Michiru never shirked on her promises. But Giovanni was getting on her nerves.  
  
"Good evening. Welcome to the party!" Michiru greeted with false enthusiasm. "I hope you enjoy the night,  
  
please, try the champagne!"  
  
"Ms Kaioh." Slobodianik had entered, and stood there waiting patiently. The head of the Russian mafia and  
  
her were not on the best of terms because of her relations to the Bungario household. "Happy birthday."  
  
"Thank you, Mr Slobodianik." Michiru nodded curtly. There was tension in the air, and it had appeared at the  
  
heel of Sacha Slobodianik in the form of the devil herself. Haruka Tenoh. The tailored white tuxedo did nothing to  
  
hide her figure, and actually display the curves. It made her all the more handsome. Sacha leaned forward and landed  
  
cold kisses on either side of Michiru cheeks, then went with part of his entourage to mingle with the other guests.  
  
Slobodianik was one of the last ones to arrive. Tsukino had arrived before the Russian, and Sacha made a beeline  
  
towards his business partner and the small throng of people he could grudgingly call friends.  
  
"Happy birthday, Michiru." Haruka grinned, the the next in line to greet the hostess. "You look beautiful  
  
tonight... except that your necklace doesn't quite look right with the dress. It doesn't do you justice."  
  
Michiru had opted to wear a simple platinum necklace, and Haruka was right, it just showed how plain her  
  
entire outfit was. Michiru didn't care what anybody had said about her choice, but Haruka's comment made her blood  
  
boil.  
  
"I don't need your fashion tips, you cross-dressing bitch." Michiru hissed.  
  
"Temper, temper." Haruka leaned forward, catching Michiru's arm. Boldly, she warmed the corner of Michiru's  
  
mouth with a less-than-chaste kiss, then brushed away strands of hair that blocked the spot right behind Michiru's  
  
ear. The assasin kissed that spot, felt how Michiru held herself so stiffly. "Don't be so frigid, Michiru."  
  
"Go away."  
  
Haruka laughed and finally backed off. "Save a dance for me?"  
  
Red-faced, Michiru stormed away from her post at the entrance of the banquet hall, to the table Minako was  
  
sitting at. She was furious at Haruka for toying with her, angry that Haruka was even in the same room as her...  
  
enraged that the blonde was making her heart pound a mile a minute.  
  
"Who was that?" Minako leaned over to ask. Her eyes darted to Haruka then back to Michiru. "He's sooo cute!"  
  
"*She* is a bastard." Michiru almost spat out. "You don't want to talk to her."  
  
"He's a girl?" Minako openly stared at Haruka. Haruka, who had been watching the two, grinned and gave a  
  
jaunty wave and a wink. Minako ducked her head and blushed.  
  
While Michiru glowered at Haruka, Haruka turned her head away intentionally. Sacha was just a ways ahead of  
  
her, and she noted the dark-haired handsome young man her boss was talking to. She recognized him as Chiba Mamoru,  
  
Usagi's intended. Rei stood right beside Mr Tsukino, having been the best he had, he wanted her nearby. Rei Hino was  
  
trying very hard not to glare at Mamoru.  
  
"So your daughter did not attend?" Mamoru asked politely.  
  
"No, Chiba-san, unfortunately I saw fit that she stayed at home." Mr Tsukino responded. "This... is not the  
  
best place for her to be. If something should happen..."  
  
"Really, sir, I don't think the Bungarios would be so bold." Sacha said jovially. "They're really a pack of  
  
cowards, the lot of them. They wouldn't dare start something in a crowd like this."  
  
The guests were a mixture of people, some leaned more towards the Bungarios, some were allies of the  
  
Tsukino-Chiba-Slobodianik circle. Others were neutral. There were important people, like the mayor of the town at  
  
the party, and also the chief of police had been invited to the event. Granted, both the mayor and the chief were  
  
being heavily bribed, but these prominent people of society helped to lessen the tension in the atmosphere.  
  
"Still, I'd like to know that my daughter is safe at home." Tsukino smiled. "You can never be to careful  
  
now, can you?"  
  
"Agreed." Sacha nodded. He noted Minako, and motioned in her direction. "Who is she? I was sure I knew  
  
everyone at the party."  
  
"Seems like she's one of Michiru's friends." Haruka supplied.  
  
"She was actually allowed to invite her friends?" Sacha laughed. "Good for her. I thought this was going to  
  
be another shareholder's meeting, with mostly ECS people here..."  
  
Haruka picked up a glass of champagne. "Are you going to be alright here, Mr Slobodianik?"  
  
"Serge will be with me." Sacha frowned. "Why, where are you going?"  
  
"Its a party. A little bit of fun doesn't hurt anyone." Haruka grinned, and left the frowning Slobodianik.  
  
"She's... very free-spirited." Mamoru commented carefully.  
  
"I'm starting to worry about my decision in hiring her." Sacha sighed loudly. "She's becoming a liability."  
  
Rei and Serge were both listening intently to this conversation. So were the other bodyguards around. This  
  
was gossip amongst their own ranks. So... Slobodianik's Left Hand was disappointing him... that meant there might be  
  
a job opening...  
  
'Haruka you idiot... if you're not careful, you'll end up fired. And rumours are, nobody leaves the Russian  
  
mob unless they're in a casket!' Rei cursed mentally. The assasin was blithely wandering towards the refreshments  
  
where Minako was lingering.  
  
"Hello." Haruka sidled up next to Minako. "I don't think I've met you before."  
  
Minako blushed at Haruka's attentions. "My name's... Aino... Aino Mina--" She stopped, embarassed that she  
  
was stuttering.  
  
"Tenoh Haruka." Haruka held out her hand and shook Minako's.  
  
"Aino Minako." Minako finally managed to get her name out.  
  
"So glad to see my fellow countrymen and women here." Haruka motioned for the waiter to come to her, and  
  
plucked two glasses of champagne from the tray he was carrying. She offered one to Minako, and kept one for herself.  
  
"So, how do you know Michiru?"  
  
"We're old friends." Minako said quickly, relieved to have fallen on a familiar topic. "We went to middle  
  
school together, actually. She was older than me. I think me and her sorta fell into the friendship..."  
  
Minako remembered, one sunny summer day, she had stumbled right into Michiru while she was in the middle of  
  
painting something. Paint had been splattered everyone, and they both looked like clowns. Minako had apologized  
  
profusedly, but Michiru had just laughed it off. The violinist surprisingly didn't have much friends, and Minako was  
  
one of the only people in the entire school who could claim that the reclusive artist was her friend.  
  
"Would you like the dance?" Haruka asked, as the band striked up a waltz-y tune. The assasin tried not to  
  
wince. The music definitely was not suited for people of Michiru's generation. And the party was so obviously not  
  
for the teal-haired girl. Haruka felt a stab of sympathy before she brushed it away and lead Minako onto the dance  
  
floor. The chatted for a bit, unaware that they were being watched.  
  
Bungario stood with his own little entourage, seperate from Slobodianik's group. And he watched the party  
  
like a hawk. He leaned over to one of his men and whispered something, and the man slipped away.  
  
"Nice party we're having, aren't we?" Giovanni Bungario laughed loudly, and a bit nastily.  
  
"...so you have a mean overhand serve." Haruka enjoyed dancing with Minako. "Maybe you and me could have a  
  
friendly game one of these days."  
  
"You play?" Minako's eyes shone. "Volleyball is life!"  
  
"Hahaha, I'm not as into it as you are. But I can hold my own." Haruka boasted.  
  
"We'll see about that." Minako laughed. Then she looked around the room and frowned a bit.  
  
"What's wrong?" Haruka asked.  
  
"Well," Minako started relunctantly. "Michiru hasn't been having the best time in the world, and I can't  
  
find her around. I'm supposed to be keeping her company."  
  
"Hm." Haruka glanced around the room, and from the preliminary inspection, Minako was right. Michiru had  
  
left the building. "Maybe we should go find her."  
  
~~~  
  
Michiru stumbled along the hallways, and indeed, she had escaped the banquet hall. She had escaped the  
  
banquet hall, with a bottle of expensive champagne clutched under her arm, and she constantly took swigs from said  
  
bottle.  
  
She was miserable. She wasn't having any fun at her birthday party at all. Her friend was talking and  
  
flirting with her most hated enemy.  
  
And the bottle of champagne, her only friend at the moment, was not helping.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Michiru bit back a curse. It wouldn't be lady-like to start yelling and screaming. Even if it was Tenoh  
  
Haruka who was approaching her.  
  
"Why aren't you at your own party."  
  
"Even hear that song?" Michiru laughed, and leaned heavily against the wall. "Its my party, I can cry if I  
  
want to... I can drink if I want to, leave if I want to..."  
  
"I don't think the lyrics go quite like that." Haruka crossed her arms and smirked at the red-faced Michiru.  
  
"You're quite drunk."  
  
"Fuck you."  
  
Haruka raised an eyebrow suggestively.  
  
The violinist sighed. "Nevermind."  
  
Haruka was about to turn around and leave, when something caught her eye. A large painting covered a portion  
  
of the hallway wall. The painting tugged at her, and she could feel her malicious joviality leave her.  
  
A desolate landscape, a canvas bathed in dark violent colors. The painting spoke of unspeakable doom, pain,  
  
and horror. It was indeed, an eerie work of art. But it was good. Really good.  
  
A little gold plaque at the bottom of the painting surprised her with the artist's name and the title of the  
  
canvas.  
  
Kaioh Michiru. The End Of The World.  
  
"You painted this?"  
  
Michiru managed to nod.  
  
"Its... good." Haruka's compliment caught the violinist by surprise. "But tell me... how does a person like  
  
you paint something like this?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I mean... you're beautiful. You have a full, long, happy life ahead of you. How could you paint this?"  
  
Haruka had seen this painting before. This... she could feel it. This was what her soul must look like. She hated to  
  
think about mortality, about anything besides the here and now. But the painting seriously disturbed her. Haruka  
  
admired artists and writers. They dragged up things from deep inside that could be both intimate and horrible... and  
  
splayed it out for the world to see. If Haruka was faced with everything she's ever done, she would never be able to  
  
live with herself. Just looking at the End Of The World made these thoughts she had thought she'd killed and buried,  
  
resurface to the front of her mind.  
  
"What makes you think I'm happy?" Michiru laughed bitterly and pointed to the canvas. "That. You know where  
  
I got that from? From myself. Deep inside, this is what I look like."  
  
Haruka stood there, speechless, and watched Michiru stumble off. The violinist veered into one of the  
  
washrooms, and Haruka shook herself out of her reverie to follow.  
  
"Michiru." Haruka walked in, and pressed her lips together in a tight grimace when she heard the sound of  
  
retching. That bottle of champagne sure did not go down well for the artist.  
  
"G'way!" Michiru said, before she bowed down again and hurled up a sour tasting swill. Ugh. And it had  
  
tasted so much better going down.  
  
"Here," Haruka entered the stall clumsily and held up Michiru's hair for her.  
  
"Why are you being so nice?" Michiru snapped.  
  
Haruka paused to consider her answer. "Because its your birthday."  
  
"Well, happy birthday to me."  
  
"Are you always so bitter and cynical?"  
  
"Only around you."  
  
Haruka handed Michiru some toilet paper. "Here."  
  
Michiru accepted it silently, wiping her mouth and blew her nose. She paused, then leaned forward again and  
  
up-chucked the remainder of the alcohol in her system. Haruka handed Michiru the entire roll of toilet paper, than  
  
went to the sink. They had water glasses in here, and Haruka took one and filled it with tap water.  
  
"Here, wash out your mouth." Haruka handed the glass to Michiru. She was shocked to find the icy Michiru  
  
crying.  
  
"T-thank you." Michiru gathered herself enough to say. Haruka nodded uncomfortably. Tears had always made  
  
her uncomfortable.  
  
"Are you okay?" It seemed like the right thing to say.  
  
Michiru let loose a short titter. "Do I look okay to you? Here I am, spending the night in a washroom  
  
barfing up my liver. Who's here to make sure I'm okay? You. Someone I totally do not get along with."  
  
"We got along fine that night at the club." Haruka couldn't resist pointing out.  
  
Michiru gave Haruka a nasty look that shut the blonde up.  
  
"You. You are the only one who even noticed I was gone from my own party. Not even my mother noticed."  
  
"Your friend Minako-chan noticed." Haruka knelt down. "Hey."  
  
Michiru choked out a sob.  
  
"Hey." Haruka reached into her pocket and pulled out the velvet box. "Happy birthday. I got you a gift."  
  
"You did?" Michiru smiled tentatively and wiped at her tears. "Is it a bad gift?"  
  
"It was supposed to be." Haruka admitted truthfully. "A gift to annoy you. But... I guess its being given in  
  
a different light now."  
  
Michiru accepted the box carefully, like it was a bomb, and examined it from every angle.  
  
"Why don't you open it?" A corner of Haruka's mouth pulled up into small smile.  
  
Michiru opened the box and gasped.  
  
"Its... its that necklace I wanted!"  
  
"I saw you today, when you were shopping with your friend." Haruka confessed. "You seemed to like it."  
  
Haruka took the necklace out of the box. "May I?"  
  
Michiru pulled back her hair, and Haruka carefully clasped the necklace behind her neck.  
  
"You look..." Haruka trailed off. There were no words she could think of.  
  
And the gravity of the moment hit both of them. It was one of those cheesy moments, and from a stranger's  
  
perspective, it was all terribly unromantic. Here they were, two women crouching in a stall of a washroom that  
  
smelled of something disgusting.  
  
Michiru made the first move, placing the glass of water carefully on the ground, then reached forward with  
  
both her hands, cupping Haruka's face.  
  
The kiss was just a whisper compared to the loudness of their passion from the club. But it was the first  
  
kiss of its kind that Haruka had ever had.  
  
Haruka felt like she couldn't breath, but she felt like if she parted... that feeling would disappear. And  
  
it swelled within her until she felt like bursting. She had to stop, because she felt like she would die, and leaned  
  
her forehead against Michiru's bared shoulder.  
  
"This is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me." Michiru broke the silence.  
  
Haruka chuckled, then shivered when she felt a kiss brush her ear. What on earth were they doing?  
  
The blonde looked up, to meet Michiru again. And the kisses burned into something more, as hands travelled  
  
up bared thighs, Haruka's hands taking advantage of the slit in Michiru's dress.  
  
"I want you so much."  
  
"What if someone comes in?"  
  
Who cares? That was what was on both their minds, as they continued their bittersweet caresses.  
  
Their time was interrupted by Haruka's cellphone ringing.  
  
"Don't pick it up." Michiru groaned.  
  
Haruka apologized with a kiss, before pulling out her cellphone and looking at the caller display. It was  
  
the boss. She had to take this call.  
  
"Sir?" Haruka smiled warmly at Michiru, as the violinist tugged at her tie.  
  
"We have a problem. I need you, Tenoh."  
  
Haruka's face fell. "Right away, sir."  
  
"Who was that?"  
  
"Something's wrong." Haruka stood up abruptly. "I have to go."  
  
The assasin was torn with indecision. This was the first time she could remember being so... not confident.  
  
"Can I... can I call you?"  
  
Michiru took Haruka's cell from her and punched in her number. "Call me."  
  
"I will." Haruka leaned down to give Michiru a parting kiss, then hurried away.  
  
In the aftermath, Michiru looked around the washroom, dazed.  
  
What in the hell had just happened?!  
  
~~~  
  
There was considerable bustle in the hallways. Tsukino was already out the door, and Sacha was waiting for  
  
the valet.  
  
"Where were you?!" Sacha snapped. He gave her a once over and let out a disgusted sigh, noting her  
  
dishevelled look. "You leave for a few seconds, and everything goes to hell."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Tsukino just got an emergency call." Sacha's face furrowed into a frown. "The people at Tsukino's house  
  
heard something coming from Usagi's room. So they went to check on her. From what I gather, it seemed like someone  
  
had broken into Usagi's room through the window and... there was blood. We think she's been kidnapped." 


	6. Killings: Kidnapped!

Killings: Kidnapped!  
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating: R  
  
Started this as soon as I finished the last one. Don't know how long it'll take me to post this one up... well,  
  
we'll see, won't we? Thank you guys, for the kind kind reviews. I will try to get this one up soonish. And I really  
  
do appreciate the reviews, once again. I know this isn't the best chapter in the world folks, but I'm rushing  
  
through it, I'm rushing, rushing... :P And I think this is my worst chapter yet... I read through my last chapter  
  
and I *really* should consider getting a beta-reader. Cuz my writing sux crap. I write stuff when I'm tired. So sue  
  
me.  
  
There ya go. I'm so sorry for keeping all of you waiting. As always, this is craptacular. :D But I hope you enjoy  
  
it. I really appreciate everyone's 'gentle' urgings to finish the next chapter, so thanks. :) This chapter is  
  
dedicated to my readers.  
  
~~~  
  
Tsukino was frustrated and furious, but he was useless in a situation like this. There was no ransom note,  
  
and no clue at all. Usagi was his only daughter, his wife having died in labor with a stillborn son. Usagi was all  
  
he had left, and he was frantic. After running through the house and yelling at the men who were supposed to be  
  
watching her, he retreated to the library, closed the door and sat in his favorite armchair to weep. Chiba Mamoru  
  
wasn't doing much better. He paced the mansion, like a frenzied dog.  
  
Rei was the only one who was calm and composed. The police had been called but this was family business and  
  
though any help was welcome, Tsukino trusted the efficiency of the underground world. Slobodianik had stayed the  
  
entire night and reigned in the pandemonium expertly, bringing his own guards in to patrol the property. It was kind  
  
of useless now, but Mr Tsukino was still here. And whoever it was that took Usagi might decide to hit again. Gary  
  
and Serge were also outside, scouring the perimeter for any clue as to how the kidnappers had escaped. And of  
  
course, the people who had been in charge of watching Usagi were being watched and interrogated very carefully.  
  
"Who would have done this? I don't understand!" Mamoru was wringing his hands nervously. Haruka had read him  
  
wrong. Since Usagi had disappeared, Mamoru had only thought about Usagi's welfare.  
  
"Mr Chiba, if you'd just sit down--" Rei started to say, but Mamoru brushed her aside, turning all his anger  
  
on her.  
  
"And where the hell were you through all this?!" Mamoru raged. "Aren't you her bodyguard?! Why weren't you  
  
watching her! She could be hurt right now!"  
  
Rei just stood there taking the verbal abuse. In mute horror, people stopped to watch Rei, who stood with  
  
her head bowed. The staff of the mansion all knew Rei was close to Usagi, and only a few suspected how much Rei  
  
wanted to close that distance. But everyone knew that Rei would never have let this happen if she could have helped  
  
it.  
  
'This has got to stop.' Haruka started forward. She stopped when Rei's head snapped up, and the angry tears  
  
were visible, her peaceful visage broken.  
  
"Do you think I wanted this to happen?" Rei whispered hoarsely.  
  
"All I know is that you weren't here when she needed you!" Mamoru continued.  
  
Without another word, Rei pulled out her gun, clicked off the safety, and placed it against her temple. "I  
  
would kill myself right now, if it meant that her safety was assured! I would die for her just like I lived every  
  
day of my fucking life for her! Don't you fucking dare assume that you are the only one in this fucking house that  
  
cares for her you ignorant asshole!"  
  
"That's enough, Rei!" The voice boomed through the silence of the room. Tsukino had exited his room, his  
  
face an effigy of sorrow. "If you please, Rei. Mamoru. Sacha. I need to speak with you."  
  
The three people followed Tsukino into the library.  
  
"What's going on?" Serge had arrived back in the house. The morning air was chilling, and he cupped a mug of  
  
strong coffee in his hands.  
  
"Meeting." Haruka said briefly, not too sure of what was going on either. "How goes the search?"  
  
"Nothing." Serge said disgustedly. Then his voice lowered to a whisper. "I'm starting to worry about this.  
  
This is an indirect attack at our family."  
  
"How is that?" Haruka perked up at the news.  
  
"Tsukino is our close ally." Serge explained. "If you attack him, you attack Sacha. Sacha takes his friends  
  
very seriously, and he'll treat this like his own daughter has been kidnapped."  
  
"Commendable."  
  
"But I don't know if Sacha can do anything this time." Serge shook his head. "Don't repeat this to anyone  
  
else, alright? Its just... you know, there was that attempt on his life before you came and... plugged the leak as  
  
I'd like to say. His organization is crumbling from the inside. I don't know if we'll be of any help. We need help  
  
ourselves."  
  
Haruka pondered these words carefully, and Serge quickly continued, "Just, you know, watch your back. You  
  
know he still suspects that there's a mole. And the boys are taking bets. They have most of their money riding on  
  
you."  
  
The library doors opened, and Sacha stood at the door. "Haruka. I need you."  
  
"Think about what I said." Serge patted Haruka on the back, and left.  
  
"Yes, Mr Slobodianik." Haruka entered the room, while Rei and Mamoru exited, looking more agitated than  
  
before.  
  
"Haruka, you've only been with Slobodianik's organization for a while." Tsukino started speaking first. "I  
  
have often found myself wondering aloud at your usefulness. But if Slobodianik trusts you. I will trust you."  
  
"Sir...?" Haruka turned to Sacha, confused.  
  
"I've volunteered you in a covert mission." Sacha explained. "You will be searching for Tsukino Usagi. I  
  
trust that you can find her?"  
  
"There's no doubt I can, sir." Haruka was all seriousness. She had done this before, and though it was hard,  
  
she'd been successful in several search and rescue missions before.  
  
"Good, good." Sacha nodded his head, then muttered a phrase in Russian.  
  
"Pardon, Sacha?" Tsukino looked up wearily.  
  
"What I said was, where an army might fail, one man," Sacha placed a hand on Haruka's shoulder. "Or one  
  
woman, might succeed."  
  
Tsukino sat there, letting the words sink in. And after a deliberate pause, he spoke up. "Two women. I ask,  
  
Slobodianik, that my Rei goes along."  
  
"I work better alone." The blonde assassin said quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry, but Rei needs to go along." Tsukino said firmly. "I trust your judgement, Sacha, I do. Its  
  
just... I don't trust her yet."  
  
Tsukino cast Haruka an apologetic look. But this was his daughter. He wouldn't trust a stranger with his  
  
daughter, even if she came highly recommended from his friend.  
  
"That's understandable." Sacha nodded, and looked at Haruka. The blonde sighed and nodded. "Its done then.  
  
We should probably fill Rei in on the details."  
  
Rei was called in, and listened to what they had to say carefully. She didn't offer any protests, but  
  
accepted the situation graciously. Haruka found it slightly curious that she would allow an outsider in on a case  
  
that was so personal, and voiced her thoughts.  
  
"I don't care." Rei said impatiently. "I've done my homework, as you said, Haruka. I know your success rate.  
  
And I don't care as long as we find her alive."  
  
"Have you done this before?" Haruka queried.  
  
"No." Rei snapped, then continued miserably. "I've never lost Usagi before."  
  
"Lighten up a bit, Rei." Haruka clapped Rei on the back. "No matter what anybody says, it wasn't your fault.  
  
The fault goes to whoever kidnapped her. Come on. First thing's first. We're going to interrogate some of the hired  
  
help."  
  
~~~  
  
"Hey, you awake?"   
  
Usagi opened her eyes to see one of her kidnappers towering over her, with a tray of food. Usagi clutched  
  
her blanket closer, watching the man silently as he placed the tray on a table nearby. The body next to her stirred,  
  
moaned a bit and squirmed closer to Usagi.  
  
"Hotaru," Usagi placed a hand on top of the girl's head. Tomoe Nakahito's daughter. He was the inside man,  
  
that was why she was here. She had been kidnapped.  
  
"Ms Tsukino, you should eat." The black-haired man who tended to her constantly, motioned to the food he had  
  
brought. She shook her head, and turned away, lying back down. Maybe if she slept again, she would forget that she  
  
was hungry...  
  
It had been... days? since she was kidnapped. She couldn't tell. This room that had been her prison had no  
  
windows. The most she could tell was that she was underground, in some sort of basement. She had taken some water,  
  
but that was it. She adamantly refused to eat, even though hunger gnawed at the linings of her stomach.  
  
"If she won't eat, force her to eat." A light-haired man entered the chamber, an annoyed expression on his  
  
face. "What, princess doesn't like her food?"  
  
Another man entered. So far, Usagi had seen no-one but these three men currently standing in her little  
  
cell.  
  
"Calm down." The one who had just entered placed a pacifying hand on the quick-tempered one's shoulder. "Go  
  
outside and take a break. I'll take over."  
  
"Fine, fine." The light-haired man left.  
  
The one who had brought in food for them was waking Hotaru up. Usagi watched warily, but out of all three of  
  
her guards, she liked this one best. He was re-wrapping Hotaru's wounds, and checking on her bruises. When Usagi had  
  
first seen Hotaru, the girl was in a bad way. Hotaru hadn't spoken a word since Usagi arrived, but clung to the  
  
older girl.  
  
Some times, Usagi got scared when she woke up and found out Hotaru had bled all over the sheets.  
  
"Do you want to feed her?" The man held out a bowl of soup to Usagi. "She needs food, even if you don't."  
  
Usagi accepted the bowl, and fed Hotaru. Each spoonful of Chunky soup that Hotaru devoured made Usagi even  
  
hungrier, and she blushed when she heard her stomach growl, and the dark-haired man chuckled.  
  
Picking up a biscuit, he offered it to Usagi.  
  
"You should eat, you know."  
  
"I don't want to." Her stomach growled again.  
  
"That's not what your stomach says." He smirked, and broke off half of the biscuit. He placed half of the  
  
offering on the bedspread, then started eating his half of the biscuit.  
  
She hesitated just a second, but the warm food was irresistable, and she devoured it in seconds.  
  
"Slow down," The man chuckled again, and handed her the second bowl of soup on the tray. "Careful, its hot."  
  
Usagi finished the soup quickly too, then gave the bowl back to the man.  
  
"Um," Usagi fidgetted, settled in a comfortable position with Hotaru in her lap. The girl looked up at her  
  
with adoring eyes. "When... when can we leave?"  
  
The kindness in the man's eyes left suddenly, and the smile fell from his face as he turned to collect the  
  
dishes and clean up the tray.  
  
"Please." Usagi pleaded, hoping that this man would listen to her. "Just, could Hotaru go home to her  
  
father? She's very hurt, even you said so--"  
  
"She was supposed to leave, as soon as we got you." The dark-haired man said quietly, his back to them. "My  
  
team and I, well... our superiors don't know Hotaru is still with us."  
  
"Well, if your superiors told you to let her go, then you should!" Usagi burst out. "She's just a little  
  
girl, she can't hurt anyone! She can't even talk right now! Are you completely heartless?!"  
  
The man turned around, his blue eyes cold.  
  
"No. I'm not. That's why she's here." He reached out and rubbed Hotaru's head absentmindedly. "My employers  
  
want us to give Hotaru a one-way ticket to her father."  
  
"Then--"  
  
"Her father's dead." The man said bluntly. "The only way she'll be going to her father is if I kill her.  
  
Fortunate for her, we're not childkillers."  
  
Usagi let that information sink in, and held Hotaru closer.  
  
"Then... what will happen to her?"  
  
"We're not sure." The man shrugged. "She has no other family besides her father."  
  
"Bring her to my father." Usagi suggested. "He'll take care of her."  
  
"Like how he took care of Hotaru's father?" The man shook his head. "No. And that will alert our employer  
  
that we didn't do as he said."  
  
"My... my father would never do anything like that!" Usagi was indignant. "He'd never kill a man!"  
  
"But his friends would." The man shot back. "A Mr Slobodianik, perhaps?"  
  
"Mr Slobodianik is a good man!" In all of Usagi's encounters with her father's closest business associate,  
  
the Russian was cordial, friendly, and a very amiable guest. But she did hear rumours...  
  
"He wouldn't..." But her voice lacked the conviction from before.  
  
"You know he would. I heard he tortured Hotaru's father for information." The dark-haired man picked up the  
  
tray, and walked out of the little room, his long ponytail trailing after him.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Hotaru." Usagi held the tiny girl in her arms. But Hotaru didn't cry. She had long run out of  
  
tears.  
  
~~~  
  
She had a long list of people to call. But she didn't start with anybody on that list.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey. Um, is this Kaioh Michiru?"  
  
"Haruka?"  
  
"Hey beautiful." Haruka grinned into her cellphone. "How've you been?"  
  
"I'm doing okay." Michiru sighed. "Bored, though."  
  
"You feel like dinner?" Haruka asked. What was she doing? During this time she was taking a break to take  
  
Bungario's niece to dinner?  
  
"I'd like that." The smile in her voice was worth it.  
  
"Listen, I'm really busy right now, but how about I pick you up at... seven?"  
  
"Um," Michiru hesitated a bit. Her uncle wouldn't like to know she was going out on a date with  
  
Slobodianik's left hand woman. "Sure. But could you pick me up at my friend's place?"  
  
"Yeah, just give me the address--"  
  
"She's at a hotel for the time being." Michiru interrupted. "Actually, they have a pretty good restaurant  
  
there... would you like to eat there?"  
  
"It doesn't matter too much to me." Haruka shrugged. "As long as you like it its fine with me."  
  
That made Michiru smile. "If someone heard us talking now, I don't think they would believe that we weren't  
  
getting along at all in the beginning."  
  
Haruka laughed lightly. "Practically at each other's throats. Listen, I have to get back to work now. I'll  
  
pick you up at seven at your friend's hotel which is...?"  
  
"The Hilton, you know, the one next to the shopping mall downtown?"  
  
"The one near the civic centre, right?" Haruka looked around and picked up her palm pilot to write herself a  
  
memo. "I'll be there at seven. Should I come up to get you?"  
  
'If you came up to the room, I don't think we would leave...' Michiru blushed at the thought. "I'll wait for  
  
you in the lobby."  
  
"I'll see you tonight then, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. See you then."  
  
Haruka pressed the end button on her cellphone, just as Rei burst into the room.  
  
"What's up?" Haruka could see Rei was agitated.  
  
"Its fucking Bungario. I *know* it is!"  
  
"What have you found out?"  
  
"Bungario has offered to help," Rei hissed. She kicked at a chair viciously, knocking it across the room.  
  
"For a price, of course. That Mr Tsukino give him the shares. Its like a ransom!"  
  
"You can't just accuse people of things, Rei." Haruka said carefully.  
  
"You're saying you don't believe me?!"  
  
"I say we should go about this rationally." Haruka placed a calming hand on Rei's shoulder. "What would  
  
happen if we rushed in with guns blazing? If I were a man like Bungario, the first thing I'd do was execute Usagi  
  
and send the pieces back to her father."  
  
"What can we do, though?" Rei went from angry, to defeated in a second. When it came to Usagi, Rei was  
  
completely unravelled.  
  
Haruka sat back in her chair, her fingers steepled together. "I have a dinner to go to tonight."  
  
Rei opened her mouth to say something, but Haruka shook her head, signalling her to be quiet.  
  
"With Kaioh Michiru. Bungario's neice." Haruka got up out of her seat.  
  
"Where are you going?" Rei demanded, right on Haruka's heels.  
  
"To take a shower." Haruka turned around to walk backwards, a regal smile on her lips. "How do you think I'm  
  
going to get Michiru to work FOR us? I gotta look my best."  
  
"She has standards, Haruka!" Rei was still not convinced. "Do you actually think she'll do it?"  
  
"I am BEYOND those standards, Rei." Haruka continued down the hallways, while people parted to let her  
  
through. This was Slobodianik's place. And everyone knew who Haruka was.  
  
"She might not know anything!" Rei continued.  
  
"She might not." Haruka smiled. "But then again, she might. She just doesn't know it yet."  
  
Rei was lost in her own thoughts for a moment, before she straked out the doors after Haruka and jumped into  
  
the blonde's car with her.  
  
"What the hell--"  
  
"Clothes! You need to co-ordinate! Maybe a bit of make-up, and some perfume--"  
  
"I got clothes," Haruka resigned to having Rei in the car with her. It would be good if Rei got some rest  
  
anyways. Haruka wasn't sure if the brunette had really slept since Usagi went missing. "And I don't wear make-up. I  
  
wear COLOGNE. I'm taking out the big guns, baby. Don't worry."  
  
"I'm going to worry like nothing else, Haruka, until Usagi is safe and sound with me."  
  
~~~  
  
"She's late," Rei's voice was nervous over the cellphone. Haruka could just imagine the bodyguard wringing  
  
her hands and pacing the length of Haruka's apartment. "Its seven already, where is she?!"  
  
"She's a woman." Haruka lounged on one of the couches in the lobby. "Women are always late."  
  
"You're not!"  
  
"Let me correct myself: Women take forever to get ready for a date."  
  
"And you're not on one?"  
  
"No. I'm not." Haruka looked around the lobby lazily. "I'm on an assignment."  
  
The elevator doors opened, and Michiru stepped out, instantly on the lookout for the blonde.  
  
"I'll see you later tonight. She's here." Haruka ended her call and stood up, smiling charmingly. "Michiru!  
  
Over here!"  
  
"Hi," Michiru walked over slowly, a shy smile on her face. And Haruka had to admit the violinist looked  
  
stunning in the simple, yet elegeant dress. "I hope you didn't wait too long for me. My friend, she, you know how  
  
friends are."  
  
"Of course," Haruka said understandingly, and offered her arm to Michiru. "Well, dinner?"  
  
"I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"  
  
"No, just a couple of minutes." Haruka lead Michiru to the dining area. "Does your uncle know you're out  
  
with me?"  
  
"Nope." Michiru took a casual glance around, and Haruka could hear the frown in her voice. "But he will  
  
soon. His people are around."  
  
"In light of the past 48 hours' events, I'm not surprised." Haruka replied. "Most everyone think that your  
  
uncle had a hand in the kidnapping. Bungario must care about you a lot to send... what, five guards to look out for  
  
you?"  
  
"The one by the door," Michiru pointed out. "At my nine o'clock--"  
  
"The garcon leading us to our table," Haruka continued the game.  
  
"The couple sitting nearest us."  
  
"And there's one who keeps coming out of the kitchen and going back inside." Haruka finished. "Does your  
  
uncle know you like women?"  
  
"Yes." Michiru rolled her eyes. "But he thinks its a phase, and all it'll take is the right man to come  
  
along and show me what I've been missing."  
  
Haruka pulled out a chair for the violinist. "And that man would be...?"  
  
"Him." Michiru deadpanned. Haruka almost felt a bit protective of the young woman.  
  
"So its better for me, I guess," Michiru continued. "He lets me do what I want, have girlfriends. Because  
  
they're not 'serious'."  
  
"Good evening Ms Kaioh, and I see you have a young gentleman accompanying you tonight."  
  
Haruka grinned at the commonly made mistake, and nodded to the waiter. "Yes she does."  
  
Michiru hid a smile politely by faking a cough. "What is the special for tonight, Eric?"  
  
"Tonight, the chef has indulged a bit too much in his love of movies." The waiter rolled his eyes. "You know  
  
the man... always trying to recreate some dish he sees in a movie, or is inspired by some film festival flick--"  
  
"Whatever the chef recommends, I'm sure I'll enjoy it." Michiru cut the waiter off. Another night, if she  
  
was alone, she would like to be entertained by this man's ramblings. But not tonight, when she had Haruka for  
  
company.  
  
"So you don't know much about your uncle's business, hm?" Haruka asked casually.  
  
"Actually, I know more about it then most people." Michiru smiled. "He seems to think that I'm too brainless  
  
to soak up anything of importance. Either that, or I'm smart enough not to go blabbing about my family to people."  
  
Michiru took a sip of water before continuing on. "He's been very busy right now, so I don't see much of  
  
him, which is great. He's rarely home now, and I think he's hired a few more people." Realizing she's said too much,  
  
Michiru tried to change the subject.  
  
"So he's been gone more than usual?" Haruka ignored Michiru's request. "Do you know where he goes?"  
  
"Well, no. I don't know where he goes." Michiru admitted, frowning.  
  
"Hm." Haruka smiled, propping her head with a hand. "Did I mention you look beautiful tonight? Did your  
  
friend help you pick out that dress?"  
  
"Yes she did." Michiru quickly hooked on to that line of conversation. "Isn't it great?"  
  
"You just bought it recently, didn't you?" Haruka guessed.  
  
"How did you know?" Michiru grinned.  
  
"Well, I saw you buy it... when I bought that necklace for your birthday party, I recognized you in a shop."  
  
"So you were stalking me." Michiru sat back, a smug smile on her face. "You fell madly in love with me when  
  
we first met. So you've been secretly watching me."  
  
Haruka smirked. "I have better things to do, Ms Kaioh." The blonde reached out and touched Michiru's thigh.  
  
Then slowly, her fingers caressed the silk of her dress slowly, moving upwards, felt Michiru tense up in  
  
anticipation. "Its a beautiful dress."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Goes well with you." Haruka's voice took on a mischevious note. "You don't do it justice, though."  
  
"Then maybe I should just take it off." Michiru raised an eyebrow, challenging Haruka.  
  
Haruka's hand retreated to her glass of water, and took a sip, meeting Michiru's gaze over the rim of her  
  
glass. "Maybe you should... later."  
  
They continued talking to each other, and Haruka grudgingly had to admit, she enjoyed the violinist's  
  
company immensely. Their food finally came.  
  
"All we're missing is the Chianti." Haruka joked, as they looked down at the main course. Fava beans and  
  
liver. Yum.  
  
"Silence of the Lambs," Michiru rolled her eyes, but smiled. "That's a great dinner topic."  
  
"Only the very best." Haruka motioned for the waiter. "Why break with the theme? Waiter, I'd like a bottle  
  
of Chianti, please."  
  
When the waiter left, Michiru leaned forward, her eyes sparkling mischeviously.  
  
"You know which piece of you I would eat first?" Michiru whispered. "If I was Hannibal Lector, that is."  
  
"Which piece?" Haruka asked, thinking how incredibly cute Michiru was at that moment.  
  
Michiru leaned closer over the table, caught Haruka's tie and pulled her closer, kissed her. "Your lips."  
  
Haruka smiled, and dipped her head to kiss Michiru's collarbone softly. When the waiter came back, she  
  
withdrew from Michiru. The waiter showed the label to Haruka, and she nodded impatiently. He filled their  
  
wineglasses, then left.  
  
"Cheers," Haruka raised her glass in a toast.  
  
"Cheers." Michiru replied, and they ate companionably. Meanwhile, one of Bungario's lackeys had left to  
  
inform his boss of this little date.  
  
~~~  
  
"The boss wants you." Yaten said crossly, and handed the phone to Seiya, who was just exiting the little  
  
room that Usagi and Hotaru were currently residing in.  
  
"Seiya speaking. What can I do for you boss?" Seiya spoke into the receiver.  
  
"How is our little guest doing?"  
  
"She's no trouble at all." Seiya reassured the Italian.  
  
"So you're not busy, right?"  
  
"Well, Taiki and Yaten could stay here and guard the house." Seiya rubbed the back of his head. He was  
  
impatient and hated the way Bungario seemed to beat around the bush. "What's up?"  
  
"My niece. I need her brought home. She is having a date with someone. I want you to dispose of her date  
  
while you are at it." Bungario made the decision quickly. "In the restaurant."  
  
"Does your niece know about this?" Seiya frowned. He did not like working for Bungario. After his contract  
  
was through, he resolved not to work for the crime boss again. "She has seen me before, at your house."  
  
"The girl won't talk." Bungario said impatiently. "I will have my men pull her out after you have shot that  
  
meddlesome--we will make it look like you were after my niece. It will be an accident that you shot her companion."  
  
"That is no problem." Seiya hung up, after getting the directions. She grabbed her jacket which was hanging  
  
from a coatstand.  
  
"Where are you going?" Taiki looked up from the book he had been reading.  
  
"Business." Seiya slipped on a shoulder holster that carried two silenced desert eagles, and clipped  
  
ammunition to his belt. The young man shrugged on his jacket and gave his two brothers a jaunty wave. "See you in a  
  
few."  
  
~~~  
  
The waiter had just brought the check to their table when Haruka noticed someone walk in. Something about  
  
the figure's determined walk caught her attention, and she quickly ducked under the table as the stranger reached  
  
into his coat and pulled out two guns. Haruka pulled Michiru down with her, as the stranger started shooting.  
  
Pandemonium broke loose in the restaurant.  
  
"Shit!" Haruka grabbed the two pieces that she had had hidden, strapped to her leg. For emergencies such as  
  
these.  
  
"Haruka?" Michiru looked at the blonde frantically. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"I'm fine." Instinctively, Haruka drew Michiru close to her and pressed a gun into the other woman's grasp.  
  
"Here. I don't know who they're after, me or you... but just... I'll distract them. Run for the nearest exit."  
  
Michiru didn't have time to protest as Haruka broke away from cover when there was a pause in the shooting,  
  
and ran for the kitchen.  
  
"Shit!" Seiya tore off his sunglasses and slipped them into the breast pocket of his coat, and followed the  
  
fleeing person.  
  
~~~  
  
Haruka burst out through the back doors and did a running jump into the dumpster that stood next to the  
  
doors. Her guns were hot, she had fired several shots, and unfortunately, she was sure she had missed her pursuer.  
  
Whoever it was was good. And Haruka could feel a burning pain in her shoulder. A bullet had managed to nick her. Her  
  
own shooting hadn't managed to bring her attacker down, but had bought her time so she could ambush whoever it was.  
  
Her pursuer burst through the doors, and Haruka stood up quickly, and was just within distance to press the  
  
nozzle of her gun against her pursuer's temple.  
  
"Drop your guns." Haruka warned. Both weapons fell to the ground, and Haruka relaxed slightly. Big mistake.  
  
The man ducked to the side and grabbed Haruka's wrist and twisted, making the blonde drop her gun. Then he  
  
proceeded to pull Haruka unceremoniously out of the dumpster. Caught off balance, the blonde fell to the floor,  
  
knocking the breath out of her, but managing to sweep her opponent's feet from under him. The weapons were knocked  
  
aside in the struggle, as they grappled for control.  
  
Finally, Haruka got the upper hand, and sitting on her opponent's stomach, she raised her fist, determined  
  
to knock this guy unconscious, when the light cast from the exit sign illuminated the other's face.  
  
"Seiya?"  
  
Seiya blinked, just as surprised as Haruka, but the feeling quickly subsided to a sense of dread, as the  
  
blonde's face went from surprise, to darkly threatening.  
  
"Haruka. Wow... uh... you... look great?" 


	7. Killings: Old Acquaintances

Killings: Old Acquaintances   
  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction  
  
immo - immo@hamena.org  
  
rating: R  
  
Lets hope I get this one up soon, right guys? :D Thanks for the reviews. SHort and sweet, now here's what you're all  
  
waiting for: THE STORY!  
  
~~~  
  
"I'm not surprised that people are still trying to bury your ass." Seiya chuckled, cradling a cup of hot  
  
coffee. "You're such a bitch some times."  
  
"Fuck you, Seiya." Haruka growled, sipping her own hot cocoa. "So I assumed right when I said it was  
  
Bungario who hired you to kill me."  
  
"Yup."  
  
It was funny, how the two had been trying to kill each other just a half hour ago, were sitting in a little  
  
cafe, catching up on old times with each other. They had first met a long time ago, and had been enemies. There was  
  
a trend in the way Haruka made friends. The reason why, was because the blonde treated everyone as enemies until  
  
proven otherwise. And even then, she kept them close, but held them at arms-length. It took a lot to earn the blonde  
  
assassin's respect.  
  
"I haven't seen you in... what... four years now?" Seiya mused. "Its been a damn long time, and I can't say  
  
I'm not glad to see you."  
  
"Glad to see you too." Haruka permitted herself a smile. Seiya was one of those that she trusted a bit more  
  
than others. Before they could get deeper into the conversation, Haruka's phone rang. Haruka glanced at the number  
  
on the call display, and picked up her cell phone. "Sorry, gotta take this."  
  
"Go right ahead." Seiya picked up his biscotti, and nibbled on it.  
  
"Hey, Michiru. You alright?"  
  
"Haruka!" The relief in Michiru's voice was apparent. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, hun. You know. Day in the life of me." Haruka joked.  
  
"Are you hurt?"  
  
"I'm good. Just a scratch." Haruka assured the violinist. "Listen, I'm sorry I had to cut our date short."  
  
"Its not your fault. I'm just glad you're okay." Michiru's voice dropped to a whisper. "And I... I don't  
  
think we should see each other anymore."  
  
It took a good few seconds for Michiru's words to sink in. It was the sheer shock that anyone would refuse  
  
her. "Michiru? What did you say?"  
  
"I don't think its good for us to see each other." Michiru sounded close to tears. "That man tonight that  
  
was going after you? I think I know him. He works for my uncle."  
  
Haruka got up from her seat and slapped Seiya upside the head.  
  
"What the fuck was that for?!" Seiya held his head in pain.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing," Haruka lied smoothly. "Michiru, I can handle myself. We shouldn't let something like this stop us  
  
from seeing each other."  
  
"No, I don't want to see you hurt." The genuine concern in her voice touched Haruka. "I'm serious Haruka, if  
  
I remember right, this guy has two brothers and they all work together."  
  
"I don't care," Haruka frowned. "I want to see you, Michiru."  
  
"Why don't you go back to hating me?"  
  
Haruka paused, feeling incredibly angry and hurt at the request. "How can you say that?"  
  
"I mean, it was so easy for us to go from one to the other... just... please..."  
  
On top of the anger and the hurt she felt, was confusion. "You can't possibly mean that, Michiru."  
  
"I do, Haruka. I... I had a great time with you tonight."  
  
"Michiru--shit." Michiru had hung up. The blonde dialled the other woman's number again, but she couldn't  
  
get through. Michiru had turned off her cellphone. "Seiya, you asshole."  
  
"What the fuck did I do?" Seiya protested.  
  
"You ruined a good date, that's what." Haruka snapped. She sat back down opposite Seiya. "And you also might  
  
have severed my information line to Bungario."  
  
"Kaioh Michiru?" Seiya loosened his tie. "You're playing with fire, woman. Stop while you're ahead."  
  
"You should be talking." Haruka snorted. "You think Bungario'll appreciate three cross-dressing women in his  
  
outfit? That man is the most sexist pig I've ever met."  
  
"A girl's gotta get money some way." Seiya shrugged. "So I have to masquerade as a man for a while. So what?  
  
This is the first job I've gotten in a while. I need this, Haruka. Not like you. I heard you became a 'made man'."  
  
"Sacha Slobodianik." Haruka nodded. "Its a good job."  
  
"But we're on opposite ends again, Haruka." Seiya traced the rim of her cup. "Too bad. We're never on the  
  
same side, are we?"  
  
"We've been through a lot of shit." Haruka held out her hand to the long-haired brunette, and Seiya took it  
  
in her own. "I owe you my life."  
  
"You saved MINE twice." Seiya pointed out.  
  
Haruka shrugged. "Who's counting?"  
  
The blonde assassin had never failed in a mission. Except for one time, when she defied orders and saved  
  
Seiya's life.  
  
"You just be careful, okay?" Seiya let go of Haruka's hand and took out her wallet. Throwing a twenty on to  
  
the table, she got up out of her seat. "After my contract's up, I'll give you a call. We could have dinner together  
  
with my sisters."  
  
"Can't wait." Haruka smiled, then suddenly looked like she remembered something. "Seiya, you gonna get in  
  
trouble if you didn't kill me?"  
  
Seiya shrugged. "Probably."  
  
"Wanna break my arm? So you don't go back with nothing?"  
  
"Yeah. That would be great. Thanks, Haruka."  
  
"Yeah right, fuck you."  
  
Seiya laughed, and gave Haruka a light punch on her upper arm. "Wouldn't have done it even if you were  
  
serious."  
  
"Oh, I was."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"... naw, still, thanks for the offer."  
  
~~~  
  
"So, how did it go?" Rei pounced on her with questions as soon as she walked through the door.  
  
"Michiru would be a good lead." Haruka reported.  
  
"That's all you got?! Haruka--" Rei asked, incredulously. She grabbed Haruka by the shoulders, planning to  
  
shake the blonde down a bit, but retreated quickly when Haruka's face twisted into a pained grimace at the contact.  
  
"What happened?!"  
  
"Should be all over the news by now." Haruka took off her jacket slowly. Seiya had patched it up a bit with  
  
a first aid kit she had in her car, but that didn't stop the pain.  
  
"I was too busy listening for your phone call to listen to any news." Rei wrung her hands in agitation. "Are  
  
you alright? What happened?"  
  
"I got shot at." Haruka took out her cellphone and dialled Michiru's number again. Again, there was no  
  
answer. "Bungario is definitely behind my ass getting shot at. And he's definitely up to something. He's hired a few  
  
outsiders to do some work."  
  
"So...?"  
  
"Don't worry, I put a trace on them."  
  
~~~  
  
"Fucking Haruka," Seiya cursed.  
  
"She's a sly one." Taiki squashed the bug that was hidden in Seiya's sleeve. "We're moving, NOW. Second  
  
safe-house. This one's been compromised."  
  
"Why can't we just kill them?" Yaten asked.  
  
"Because. Tsukino's smart. He made a public announcement as soon as he found out Usagi was caught, that if  
  
the girl ended up dead, he would donate everything to charity. He has enough power to liquidate ECS, the company  
  
our employer's after, and make it NOTHING." Seiya answered the question, for the hundredth time.  
  
"I should've broken her arm when she offered." Taiki caught the Seiya's mutterings and just shook her head.  
  
Haruka and Seiya had a special relationship that nobody understood but the two of them.  
  
"Can't we just cancel this contract?" Yaten asked. "Its annoying enough, just babysitting these two girls.  
  
Now with Haruka on our tail, it'll be even more annoying."  
  
"Stop that." Seiya warned.  
  
"Oooo, Yaten still has a crush on Haruka-san." Taiki teased in a sing-song voice.  
  
"Stop it!" Yaten pouted and blushed. "I do not!"  
  
"I said stop that. Both of you." Seiya was packing things away quickly. "We don't have time for this. Yaten,  
  
get the girls."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Yaten grumbled. When Seiya turned her back, she aimed a kick at Taiki's shin, who side-stepped  
  
the attack and made a face at her sister.  
  
"I said MOVE IT!" Seiya snapped.  
  
"Geez, calm down." Yaten headed down the hallway. She unlocked the door, and couldn't help a look of  
  
distaste that came to her face. Usagi and Hotaru sat on the bed, regarding her with trepidation. "Get up. We're  
  
moving."  
  
"Why?" asked Usagi.  
  
"Shut up. You get no questions." Yaten took out two handcuffs and cuffed Hotaru with little effort. When she  
  
got to Usagi, Yaten suddenly found herself on the floor seeing stars. Usagi picked up Hotaru and just managed to run  
  
through the doors before Yaten got her head together enough to shout for help.  
  
"Just one mention of Haruka and you lose your cool enough to let these two kids get away?!" Taiki yelled  
  
down the hall. She blocked Usagi's exit, grinning.  
  
"Shut up!" Yaten stumbled into the hallway, holding her head.  
  
"Haruka?" A small flame of hope flared up briefly in Usagi. The distraction let Taiki lunge forward and grab  
  
Hotaru from Usagi's arms, while Yaten tackled the blonde to the ground.  
  
"You," There was a murderous gleam in Yaten's eyes. "You fucking hurt me."  
  
Blows rained down on Usagi's head, and she let out cries of pain, trying to block the rain of fists with her  
  
hands and arms.  
  
"Yaten... Yaten!" The blows stopped, as Seiya yanked Yaten off Usagi. "Stop! Calm the fuck down! Go get the  
  
things into the car!"  
  
"Fine!" Yaten snarled and stalked off.  
  
"Hey," Seiya knelt down and touched Usagi's cheek. The blonde whimpered. "I'm sorry... but you don't piss  
  
Yaten off without getting something like that. It hurts, doesn't it?"  
  
Usagi sobbed, unable to answer.  
  
"Don't try escaping again or next time, I can't stop Yaten." Seiya helped Usagi up, looking at the blood  
  
that seeped through the girl's lips in concern. Further inspection showed that there was no permanent damage, Yaten  
  
had just managed to split the blonde's lip.  
  
"Here," Seiya took out a tissue and wiped at the blood on Usagi's lips, then threw the used tissue on the  
  
floor. "There... that doesn't really help at all, but we'll get you some ice, alright?"  
  
Usagi nodded.  
  
"You're going to be a good girl?"  
  
Usagi nodded again.  
  
"That's great. Now lets go."  
  
~~~  
  
"The trace went dead." Rei pointed out the obvious.  
  
"Which means they must have found it." Haruka pointed out the blinking dot on the map that came up on her  
  
computer screen. "This was probably where they had Usagi, at the place where the trace showed they stopped the  
  
longest. It'll take them... tops, five minutes to move out. But maybe we can bump into them if we head out now."  
  
"What are we waiting for? Lets go."  
  
~~~  
  
By the time Haruka and Rei got there, Seiya, Taiki and Yaten had moved out with their precious cargo.  
  
"FUCK!" Rei slammed a fist into the wall. In her hand, was a bloodied tissue. Rei, being tuned in to Usagi's  
  
spirit, could sense she was alive from the small amount of blood on the tissue. And that made her spirit soar. But  
  
the fact that they had missed the blonde... it was like losing Usagi all over again. They had searched the house  
  
from ceiling to floor, but there was no clue on where the kidnappers had taken Usagi.  
  
"We know for certain that Bungario's behind it." Haruka was in the room that had recently been Usagi and  
  
Hotaru's prison. "But the only way to get her back alive is if we GET her back alive. We can't let Bungario know  
  
that we know, that we have evidence."  
  
Rei nodded, barely taking in what Haruka was saying. That only thing she knew was that Usagi was still gone.  
  
"Haruka, I have to get her back." Rei said quietly.  
  
"We will, don't worry."  
  
"I swear Haruka, I swear..." Rei was openly sobbing now. "I'll die if anything happens to her. I won't be  
  
able to live without her."  
  
"Rei," Haruka watched the brunette crying uncomfortably. She didn't know what to feel. The prevalent feeling  
  
was one of disgust. Emotions were weaknesses. This was what it had always been like for her. But now... she felt  
  
that tiny hint of a doubt. She felt sympathetic. And she wanted to comfort. "Rei, did you sleep at all since I was  
  
out?"  
  
"No." Rei sobbed.  
  
"You're going to stay at my place tonight. If you go to back to the Tsukino house, you're going to be up all  
  
night doing god knows what." Haruka did not listen to any protests on Rei's part, and finally, Rei sat back in  
  
silence and let Haruka drive.  
  
"You can sleep in my room tonight." Haruka announced when they were back at her place. Rei just agreed  
  
wearily, not really hearing what Haruka was saying. Slobodianik's woman herded Rei to bed, tucked the bodyguard in,  
  
and left the room. Haruka built up a fire in the living room's fireplace, and lay down on the couch, pondering the  
  
day's event, and waiting for sleep.  
  
When she woke up, it was to the uncomfortable feeling of being in a furnace.  
  
"What the f--" Haruka woke up, on the alert. There was Rei, sitting in front of a blazing inferno of a  
  
fireplace. "Rei?"  
  
The girl didn't answer her. And for some reason, Haruka just lay back, and watched the girl, sitting there  
  
stoically in front of the fire before falling back asleep.  
  
In the morning, she questioned Rei about the incident.  
  
"I was trying to find Usagi."  
  
"Well..." Haruka paused, trying to find something to say to that. "Did it help?"  
  
"A little bit." Was the surprising answer.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I... it took a long time. But I felt her." Rei grinned. "She's alive. And she responded to me. She knows  
  
we're searching for her. That's all I could get from her and all that I could convey to her. But I'm going to try  
  
again later."  
  
Again, Haruka didn't know what to say to that.  
  
"Um... breakfast?"  
  
"Yes, please."  
  
"Coffee with that?"  
  
"No, thank you. Do you have any tea?"  
  
"Sure. Here."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"Would you like a side order of 'I think you're crazy' with that?"  
  
"No, I would not. And I'm not crazy."  
  
"Right. You need a break. Did you get any sleep last night?" Haruka took out a canister of good chinese tea  
  
leaves. "Hope you don't mind herbal tea."  
  
"I did, thank you. And actually, I prefer herbal."  
  
"You got damn good taste. Still think you're crazy, though."  
  
~~~  
  
"I still think you're making a mistake." Minako insisted on the phone. "You were so excited when I was  
  
helping you get ready for the date."  
  
"Its better this way." Michiru insisted. More to convince herself, than Minako. After the shoot-out, Michiru  
  
had been surrounded by her uncle's men, shoved in a car and driven to her uncle's house.  
  
"What is going on, Uncle Gio?" Michiru demanded, as soon as she saw her uncle. She recognized the man who  
  
had started shooting at her and her date. "Why was that man there?"  
  
"What were you doing with that unnatural bitch?!" Giovanni ignored his neice's question.  
  
"I was on a date, if you don't mind!" Michiru snapped back. "What, I can't go out on a date?!"  
  
"Not with Tenoh!" Giovanni was furious.  
  
"Who are you to tell me what to do?!" Michiru hissed. "I don't have to listen to you, you're not my father,  
  
you're not my mother. Who are you to--"  
  
Giovanni came forward menacingly and backhanded her across the face, stunning the woman.  
  
"You do NOT talk like that to me. Not in MY house." Bungario paced the room, glaring at Michiru darkly. "You  
  
do not pull this Romeo and Juliet shit on me now, you hear?! I will not hesitate to skin your little girlfriend's  
  
worthless hide!"  
  
"Boss... shouldn't it be Juliet and Juliet?"  
  
Bungario walked forward again and slapped one of his men. "Don't be a fucking smartass, Mario."  
  
"Love should be something you fight for, Michiru!" Minako urged her friend on. "Go for it! Don't listen to  
  
your uncle--"  
  
"He said he'd kill her if he saw me with her again."  
  
"Then again, life is something worth fighting for!" Minako changed her mind quickly. "Life! Cuz, damn, its  
  
good to be breathing!"  
  
~~~  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Minako-chan? Its Haruka... you know, from the party?" Haruka paused for a few tense seconds, before the  
  
door opened. "Hi."  
  
"Hey." Minako's smile was hesitant.  
  
"I want to talk to you about Michiru. Why isn't she taking my calls?" Haruka went straight to the point.  
  
"I've been calling her."  
  
"She doesn't want to see you anymore." Minako avoided Haruka's eyes. "You should just give up, Haruka-san."  
  
"I don't give up, Minako-chan." Haruka put her foot in the door's way when Minako made to close the door.  
  
"And I'm not going anywhere. Look, I... I like her. And I really want to at least talk with her."  
  
"You'll get hurt if you do!" Minako blurted out. "Her uncle doesn't want you around, and that's that!"  
  
"I don't care. And if you don't help me, I'll go to her uncle's house to try and talk to her."  
  
"Don't do that!" Minako was hyperventilating. Haruka's determination was romantic, but death was really,  
  
really unromantic.  
  
"Call her." Haruka urged. "Tell her to come here to meet me."  
  
"She won't come." Minako shook her head. "I think she really likes you, that's why she doesn't want to see  
  
you."  
  
"That doesn't make sense!"  
  
"She doesn't want her uncle to kill you!" Minako hissed. Then she clamped her hand over her mouth at what  
  
she had just said. Quickly, she pulled Haruka into the room. "She won't see you!"  
  
"She will if she doesn't know I'm here. Call her, Minako."  
  
Minako, who had never had a strong will when it came to love, crumbled. In an hour's time, Michiru was at  
  
Minako's door, thankful to be away from her uncle.  
  
"Hey, Michiru!" Minako's smile was impossibly wide. Her eyes went impossibly wide too when she saw the two  
  
bodyguards that accompanied her friend.  
  
"Hey, Mina." To Minako's relief, Michiru ordered the bodyguards to stay outside. "Sorry about that, I just  
  
need a break from them before we go shopping. They've been following me all day--"  
  
Michiru stopped when she saw Haruka standing there.  
  
"Michiru." Then the blonde did a double-take and grabbed Michiru's hand, pulling the violinist closer to  
  
take a look at Michiru's bruised face. "What happened? Are you alright?"  
  
Michiru covered her mouth with her hands, and shook her head, disbelieving. "No... Haruka, you shouldn't be  
  
here! Minako, she should not be here!"  
  
"Shhh! Shhh!" Minako waved her arms around wildly. Then she turned up the volume of the TV.  
  
"Michiru, what happened?" Haruka touched Michiru's face gently, and panicked when she saw tears start their  
  
way down Michiru's face. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"  
  
"I can't see you, Haruka."  
  
"Is Bungario hurting you?" Haruka asked in a quiet voice. She felt an overwhelming anger inside of her. "Is  
  
he hurting you?"  
  
"Its nothing I can't handle." Michiru lied cheerfully. Haruka just shook her head and hugged the teal-haired  
  
woman close. "You don't have to handle it, Michiru. You shouldn't."  
  
"You can stay with me!" Minako butted in.  
  
"I can't do that to you, Minako." Michiru motioned to the closed door, where the two bodyguards were sure to  
  
be waiting for her. "They'll be here with me. I won't let that happen to you."  
  
"And I won't let you be hurt again." Haruka added.  
  
"I'm not a damsel in distress." Michiru frowned.  
  
"Course you're not," Haruka said placatingly. "You're fully MY hero."  
  
Michiru tried to stiffle a laugh, but she couldn't.  
  
"Ma'am?" There was a knock at the door. The bodyguards had no patience.  
  
"Men." All three women said in disgust, and shared a good laugh.  
  
"We have to go," Michiru sighed. "Or else they'll come barging in."  
  
Haruka placed soft kisses all along Michiru's unbruised cheek and lips, before finally, grudgingly, letting  
  
go. Left with the blaring TV, Haruka finally shook herself out of her reverie.  
  
'WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING?!'  
  
~~~  
  
"Howabout this, Michiru?" Minako showed Michiru a nice g-string, while the bodyguards sat uncomfortably  
  
outside the lingerie shop.  
  
"It'll look good on you."  
  
"Don't you think Haruka would like it if you modelled in it for her?" Minako winked. Michiru flushed at the  
  
thought of that.  
  
"I would like it very much, actually." Haruka appeared in front of them, in a faded blue tank-top, white  
  
hotpants that showed exactly how long the blonde's legs were, and the entire outfit ended with a pair of flipflops.  
  
She also had a cute little backpack on her.  
  
"Wow." Minako's mouth opened, echoing Michiru's thoughts.  
  
"You should wear make-up more often." Minako looked at Haruka's attempt at makeup with envy. Less 'attempt',  
  
more 'success'.  
  
"Thanks, I think." Haruka turned to Michiru with a shy smile. "So, did my disguise work?"  
  
"Almost didn't recognize you." Michiru leaned forward for a quick kiss.  
  
"Hey, are those my clothes?" Minako suddenly realized why everything on Haruka looked so familiar.  
  
"Sorry," Haruka apologized. "Thought you wouldn't mind if I borrowed some clothes. I'll return them soon as  
  
I'm done."  
  
"You can keep them," Minako beamed. "They look great on you!"  
  
"Pretty sure they woulda looked better on you." Haruka was one smooth operator. "Now, if I'm not mistaken,  
  
there's a backdoor through the storage room. Lets get out of here."  
  
There was no argument, as all three girls sneaked out the back entrance.  
  
~~~  
  
They sat together, eating ice cream companionably. After evading the guards, and then running off to unknown  
  
parts of the city, they were resting at a cafe with a patio.  
  
Michiru was sitting so close to Haruka she was almost in her lap, and Minako just chatted blithely away,  
  
announcing that Haruka was the best girlfriend Michiru had ever had.  
  
"I've never let you see any of my past girlfriends!"  
  
"Which is why this one is soooo much better than the rest. So good looking too!" Minako nudged Haruka good-  
  
naturedly.  
  
"Find your own," Michiru retorted, only half-serious. "Uncle Gio actually wanted to accompany me today, you  
  
know?"  
  
"Oh?" Haruka kissed some icecream off of the corner of Michiru's mouth. "What business?"  
  
"He usually meets this man once a month or so. He was at the last party, hanging around Mr Slobodianik."  
  
Haruka paused. "Would you know his name?"  
  
"I don't think so. I hardly knew anyone at the party."  
  
"This is important," Haruka asked the waiter nearby for a pen. "Do you remember him enough to sketch out a  
  
profile?"  
  
Michiru did so, the urgency in Haruka's voice making her comply without questioning.  
  
The likeness of the man was stunning. It was like a photograph. Except done on a napkin. Haruka tucked that  
  
into her pocket, smiling. "Thanks."  
  
"What did you need that for?" Michiru asked, leaning back into Haruka's arms.  
  
"Just someone who's been leaking company secrets out." Haruka answered. "Remember how your uncle came to  
  
Tsukino's house and knew that contracts for ECS' shares were being drawn out? Mr Slobodianik suspects someone might  
  
have informed your uncle. That man needs to be fired."  
  
Minako frowned at this revelation. "But that man will be out of a job, wouldn't he?"  
  
"Better out a job than sued for everything he's got, and then some."  
  
"Well... yeah." Minako shrugged.  
  
"Hey, I want to know... how did you know there was a back door at that lingerie store?" Michiru's  
  
questioning blue eyes made Haruka squirm. What to tell your lady of the moment? That Haruka had had a rendezvous  
  
with one of the girls from sales in said back room a while ago? And had made a quick getaway from a curious manager  
  
using the same backdoor?  
  
"Got in trouble for shoplifting?" Haruka tried. When Michiru gave her another look, she couldn't lie  
  
anymore. "I had a girlfriend who worked there."  
  
"Oh." Michiru's eyebrow was still raised.  
  
"We don't see each other anymore."  
  
"Good girl."  
  
Haruka's cellphone rang, and she glanced at the call display before answering.  
  
"Tenoh here."  
  
"Haruka, Mr Tsukino's NOW." Rei's voice rang clear, then the call ended.  
  
"Shit." Haruka looked at the girls apologetically.  
  
"Another girlfriend?" Michiru eyed her suspiciously.  
  
"No." Haruka got up, placing enough money on the table to pay for the icecreams and whatever else the girls  
  
might want to order. "Business. I *have* to go, Michiru. Can I call you?"  
  
"Yes." Michiru smiled.  
  
Haruka nodded, kissed the violinist, and said goodbye to Minako. She was half-way out of the patio when she  
  
raced back. "If I call, will you answer?"  
  
Michiru laughed delightfully, and pulled Haruka down for a joyful kiss. "Of course."  
  
"Cuz you didn't last time." Haruka walked backwards, bumping into tables and patrons. "I'll call!"  
  
"She's great." Minako squealed, as soon as Haruka was out of hearing distance.  
  
"I know."  
  
~~~  
  
The house was full of grim-faced men. When Mr Tsukino saw Haruka, his face filled with dispair, and he left  
  
to hide in his den.  
  
"What happened?" Haruka asked Rei. Then she pulled the priestess closer, whispering the next question. "Did  
  
you tell him?"  
  
"No." Rei was trying extremely hard to stay composed. "They... sent something of hers... to us..."  
  
"Where?"  
  
Rei pointed to a box in the hallway that people were avoiding. Haruka strode towards it, dread filling her  
  
chest. Seiya was definitely not the type to send things to people piece by piece. Neither was Taiki. Yaten. And  
  
Haruka felt responsible, somewhat. For hadn't she taught Yaten that the best way to make people listen was with  
  
violence?  
  
The assassin lifted the lid of the box slowly and peeked inside.  
  
A mass of long blonde hair. Usagi's. She could smell the scent of it. One of her signature pigtails,  
  
butchered off. 


	8. Killings: Search & Rescue

Killings: Search and Rescue Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction immo - rating: R  
  
If I'm not mistaken, we're very close to the end. Long series are not my writing style. Cuz my grammer goes, my spelling goes, holy shit... I dunno what else, but everything intelligent and story-worthy goes. So thank god its the end, right? Liked how chapter 6 came out so quick, huh? Well... lets hope I get this chapter out just as quick.  
Oh, and russian phrases used in here will have translations at the bottom. I hope they're right. Forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm trying my best.  
  
and this chapter just didn't come out soon enough, right? LoL. Well, for those who have reviewed me... well, there ya go. When people ask, I just gotta give. :D I'm so big-hearted, eh?  
  
"I can't believe it." Slobodianik looked at the likeness of Serge, drawn on the napkin.  
"Unless you've asked him to deal with Bungario, and I didn't know of it, then..." Haruka trailed off. They were walking in a park together. Children were screaming around the playground, and some of Slobodianik's men paced along the perimeters of the park, guarding their boss. "My source might be wrong... however, I've noted that only Serge and Gary would be privy to some of the information leaked out in the past couple of while, that Bungario seems to have some third-eye knowledge to. Like in stocks, he has been able to follow you quite closely. You keep Gary close, but Serge has always been closest."  
"I suspected him too. But I... didn't want it to be him." Sacha shook his head sadly. "He was like a son to me, Haruka."  
"And he showed he did not feel the same way, sir." Haruka pointed out. "You have let Serge handle everything of yours. What else has he let out? Has he told Bungario of what kind of security you have? What happens if he has?"  
Sacha sighed, and looked up into the blinding sun, as if it could give him the answers.  
"Give me the word, sir." Haruka stood there, attentively. When Slobodianik's head finally dipped down in a nod, Haruka bowed her head once in respect, then left Slobodianik's side.  
  
"What have you been doing?" Haruka was back in her apartment. Rei was sitting in front of the fireplace again, concentrating hard, silvery strands of Usagi's hair twined around her fingers.  
"I'm doing a locating spell." Rei was in full Shinto priestess regalia. Which made Haruka question the girl's sanity. "I haven't done it in a long time, but I think it'll work."  
Rei broke from her trance when she heard the sound of guns being checked and loaded. "What are you doing?"  
"I have to get rid of a rat." Haruka said firmly. Four guns. Two in shoulder holsters, two at her hip.  
Enough ammunition on her belt to take out an elephant.  
"Could I come along?" Rei got up from her seat on the floor. "Right after this, I would like to see if the locating spell works."  
Haruka looked at the priestess cautiously. "How does your locating spell work?"  
"We just drive around." Rei said matter-of-factly. "And when we're near her, her hair glows."  
"Riiiight. Okay. I think you need some fresh air anyways."  
It was time for a routine check of the factories. Gary, Serge and Haruka would go. At least, that's what Slobodianik would tell Serge. The last factory they would check would be a newly bought one, with no employees in it yet. Even the heavy machinery hadn't been brought in yet. The way it was set up, it would not raise Serge's suspicion whatsoever. Serge and Gary usually did checks like these before, to make sure everything was running to Slobodianik's satisfaction. Haruka had accompanied them on one of these expeditions only once before.  
"You just don't say anything, and stay in the car." Haruka shook her finger at Rei.  
The first few factory inspections went without a hitch, and then the last one came along. They had to make sure there were no squatters, that was the main concern. While Gary and Serge inspected a part of the building,  
Haruka had walked off on the excuse to find a washroom.  
"Looks about okay," Serge smiled at them. "Lets go. We could grab a bite to eat before reporting to the Sacha."  
Gary shook his head sadly, and unholstered his gun, pointing it at Serge before he could blink.  
"Gary?" Serge held his hands up in the air. "What's up, man?"  
"Don't play stupid, Serge." Haruka came back with a chair and some rope. "Lets get whatever weapons you're holding and sit you down for a little chat."  
"Why'd you have to do it, Sergei?" Gary asked, weapon still pointed at Serge as Haruka tied up the man.  
"You've been with Sacha for how long? How could you? Did you think we wouldn't know?"  
Serge's face went from pleading, to stony in a second. "I don't know what you're fucking talking about."  
"See," Haruka had just finished tying up Serge and she stood up, taking out her gun. "That's what I fucking hate. Playing innocent when you know you're guilty."  
Haruka shot out Serge's kneecap, smiling pleasantly. It had been a while since she'd heard a man scream in such beautiful pain. The killer in her was positively dancing with glee.  
"Promudobliadskaja pizdoprojebina!" Serge screamed, rocking his chair so hard that he fell to his side,  
causing another round of swearing.  
"When men cry, it gets me right here." Haruka wiped away a mock tear. "Now since we already know you've been leaking information to the Bungarios, like our unfortunate associate Carl, I'm hoping you might be a bit more useful than Mr Carl. I want to know if you know where Tsukino Usagi is."  
"Hooy tebe v zhopu!"  
"See, I don't understand what you're saying." Haruka punched the guy across the head. "You tell me where Usagi is, and, I'm not going to lie to you, you're gonna die anyways. Just much faster."  
"You fucking whore!" Serge spat out.  
"Ah, words I understand." Haruka punched him in the gut. "Bad words, but still words I understand."  
"You think these things haven't happened in Russia?" Serge spat out. "Do your worse!"  
"These things do happen in mother Russia, as you say." Haruka cocked her head to one side. "But have they ever happened to you?" Serge's stunned silence confirmed it, as if he had just realized it himself. "No. I guess not. Let me tell you something, Serge. Men bigger than you, who have suffered more than you, will crack within an hour. Only the best refuse to give in."  
"Haruka." Gary and Haruka both spun around, guns cocked. Rei had entered the building, attracted by the gunshots.  
"Ha!" Serge laughed again. "To think, the two of you, trying to find Tsukino Usagi? You two cannot find her if she was right in front of you!"  
Rei's eyes narrowed to angry slits. She stormed forward and grabbed Haruka's gun, taking out Serge's other kneecap.  
"Much better." Rei sighed.  
"Japanese women are fucking crazy." Gary muttered to himself, as he rested his arm a bit. The pain had pushed Slobodianik's right hand man into unconsciousness. Haruka slapped Serge a few times to wake him up.  
"Now. I'm going to ask you again. WHERE. IS. USAGI?" Haruka watched Serge's reaction. The man remained sullenly silent. "Okay. Did I tell you before I hate these games?"  
Haruka leaned forward and took hold of Serge's right hand's middle finger. "Your loss." With that, she bent it all the way back quickly, and the crack of bone echoed in the empty warehouse, followed by Serge's pained howlings.  
"Are you going to talk?" Leaving no room for an answer, Haruka's fist came down on the man's already destroyed finger, smashing fragile bones. "Serge, I can go on all night."  
Two more fingers were snapped back in quick succession, before Haruka paused in her cruelty. "Now. What are you going to say for yourself, Sergei?"  
"I tell you... what..." Serge grinned through the pain. "If I die... Bungario knows the gig... is up. He will kill... the blonde brat.. ARGH!"  
Rei rested the hilt of the smoking gun on her thigh. "I didn't know people can still feel their feet after their kneecaps are shot out."  
"Yeah, they can. See." Haruka stomped down on Serge's foot several times, listening to the man's screaming cries change to mewing whimpers. "See?"  
"I see." Rei nodded. "Interesting."  
"Its a learning experience."  
"So... do you know where Tsukino Usagi is?" Haruka asked again. Serge remained silent, sobbing against his ropes, and swearing softly in russian under his breath.  
"We don't have time for this." Rei said impatiently. Haruka cracked a blow across Serge's face with the butt of her gun, almost playfully.  
"Yeah. You're right." Haruka took out her cellphone and dialled a number. The call went through, and Haruka held out the phone to Serge, a smile on her face. "Its your fiancee. Would you like to say hello?"  
Serge's already pale face grew paler at the blubbering words of his fiancee.  
"Stacy?" Serge called softly.  
"Sergei, what is happening?" Stacy hiccuped. "I'm scared, Sergei. Where are you?"  
"There's a man standing right next to her right now." Haruka explained, placed the receiver against her ear.  
"Well, there he is on the phone now. Hello, sir. How are you tonight? I'm quite well, thank you."  
"What do you need to know?" Serge asked, defeated.  
"Seventeen minutes. My, how time flies." Haruka smiled. "That was how long you took to break. Now tell me,  
where is Tsukino Usagi?"  
"I... I don't know." Serge admitted. Haruka's lips tightened into a grimace. "Wait! I... I... last time I was with Bungario... I heard him talking to one of them... they said they were getting take-out near... their new hideout. A chinese place near... Liberty and Previews. Liberty and Previews... Please."  
"And is that all you know?" Haruka asked. Serge nodded. "Are you absolutely certain. Because I would hate to have to visit Stacy if this information you are giving me does not help in rescuing Tsukino Usagi."  
"Yes... please.." Serge begged, a fresh wave of tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please, Stacy..."  
"I hate it when I have to seperate loved ones from each other." Haruka nodded understandingly. She put the phone back to her ear. "Kill her."  
"No!"  
The shot was loud enough to be heard by Gary, Rei, and most importantly, Serge.  
"I'm sorry Sergei, but you've disappointed Mr Slobodianik quite a bit. And you know how he feels about that."  
"You BITCH! I'll kill you!" Serge screamed. "My Stacy! My beautiful Stacy!"  
"Goodbye, Sergei." Haruka said emotionlessly, and put a bullet through the man's head.  
"You didn't have to kill him." Rei looked at the gun in her hand, and handed it back to Haruka, feeling sick and disgusted with herself.  
"Don't waste your energy on feeling guilty." Haruka emptied another bullet into the dead man's skull. Again,  
Haruka was overzealous with her work. "Just remember, he was part of what took Usagi away from you."  
Rei nodded, not sure, but feeling a bit more at ease with that thought.  
"Clean up, Gary." Haruka ordered. "Rei and I, we have to do a little search and rescue."  
  
"Look!" Rei held up her hand, where Usagi's hair had remained twined around her fingers. "Told you!"  
"Well, damn!" Haruka blinked in surprise. In the dark interior of her car, the blonde strands of hair were glowing. "We don't know where the house is, but we can drive around Liberty and Previews. It'll stop us from having to run through all the small streets. And when I get close enough to her, I'll know so we can pinpoint the house when the glow becomes too bright."  
"Good thing this Shinto priestess comes with a Usagi navigation system!" Haruka joked.  
Rei didn't reply, and sat silently, concentrating. After a few minutes, Rei cleared her throat.  
"Yes?" Haruka took out two guns and placed them on Rei's lap. "While you're at it, take out a few clips of ammo from my belt. Good thing I came prepared."  
"Thanks." Rei took the inventory of weapons and ammo, slipping them into the mysterious recesses of her ceremonial garb. "Haruka... how... how do you do it?"  
"Do what?"  
"Kill?"  
"Its easy." Haruka smiled at Rei. "Very easy for me, actually. Terrifyingly easy."  
"Why?"  
Because. I've learned that, no matter what, its either killed or be killed. That's why its so easy for me,  
Rei."  
"Did something happen?"  
Haruka remained silent for a long time, the glow of Usagi's hair guiding her.  
"Yes." Finally, Haruka replied. "Something did happen. Someone I loved very much got killed."  
There was another long silence, as Haruka continued driving. The glow from Usagi's hair got brighter as the blonde turned a street.  
"Why?"  
Haruka smiled bitterly. "Because she tried to kill me."  
Another long silence.  
"Aren't you going to ask the 'who'?"  
"...who killed her?"  
"Me. I did."  
"Stop the car. We're near." Rei hid the glowing strands of hair in the glovebox. Rei would just be a great big glowing target with it. "I'm going to make a call to Mr Tsukino."  
"And I guess I should make one to Sacha." Haruka and Rei both went on their cellphones for a second, then left the communication devices in the car.  
"You ready?" Haruka grinned at Rei.  
"What's so funny?"  
"I'm going into a shootout with a Shinto priestess in her ceremonial dress, that's what."  
"Shut up." Rei gave Haruka a small smile to show the blonde she wasn't serious.  
"Front or back?"  
"Back."  
"There might be boobytraps." Haruka warned. "One of the three is very techno-savvy."  
"Sixth-sense." Rei tapped her head. "My spider sense tingles when I sense danger. So its even better that I'm in the back."  
"Take care of yourself." Haruka squeezed Rei's shoulder.  
Rei nodded, before pointing to an unassuming house. "That one."  
"You sure?"  
"I love her too much to be wrong."  
"Guess you are."  
"You don't know how good it felt to say that."  
An image of Michiru came to mind. "I could imagine. I'll give you ten minutes. Got a watch?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. Synchronized? Great. Lets go."  
There were people in the house, that much Haruka knew. She waited quietly, counting down the minutes. Soon,  
there was only ten seconds left. She hoped Rei was at the back already, because she wasn't waiting.  
10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2.  
Haruka kicked open the door, and immediately met Yaten, who had rolled out of the kitchen, gun poised, at Rei.  
"Yaten, no!" Haruka called out, just in time. Well-trained to Haruka's voice, Yaten reacted instinctively and pulled up her gun. Rei, astonished, did the same thing.  
"Haruka?" Yaten turned around hopefully.  
"Yaten." Haruka stood in the doorway, and threw the light-haired young woman a smirk. "You've grown."  
Yaten replied with a series of gunshots.  
"Fuck!" Haruka peeked into the house again, and retreated quickly when she felt the heat of a bullet pass way too close to her face for comfort. "Yaten, stop shooting!"  
"You bitch, you said you'd come back for me and then you left!" Yaten screamed, shooting until she ran out of bullets. By now, Taiki had joined Yaten, and kept a gun trained on the back door.  
"Yaten, you alright?" Taiki asked.  
"Taiki?"  
"Haruka?"  
"She found us." Yaten confirmed. "I'm going to put her head on a fucking pike!"  
"Just because she dumped you--"  
"Fuck you, Taiki!" Yaten screamed.  
Haruka glanced around, looking for something... anything that would give her the upperhand. Taiki and Yaten were almost on par with her. Together, they were near invincible. But she trained them... she knew their weaknesses.  
Yaten was too emotional. Taiki's weakness was her sisters, surprising enough. Especially Yaten, since she saw the young assassin's lack of control in the emotional department as a major weakness. And Seiya... Seiya would be a problem.  
"Yaten, don't shoot, I'm coming in!"  
There were a few warning shots, then Haruka took a deep breath and stood in the open space of the door.  
"You..." Yaten's eyes filled with tears. "You think your lying ass is stepping foot into this house? Think again!"  
"I didn't want to leave you, Yaten." Haruka said calmly, taking a step inside the house. The shot Yaten fired nicked Haruka's pants. "You know I wanted to take you, but... you know how I am. I wouldn't have been able to take care of you right."  
"You lie! You could have!" Yaten shot again, this time making Haruka bleed as a bullet stung her side.  
"SHOOT HER!" Taiki grinded out between her teeth.  
"No, Yaten, I'm not lying to you."  
"But... you did before!"  
"SHOOT HER, DUMBASS!"  
"So I'm sorry."  
"That's not good enough!"  
"Well, what can I do to make it all better?" Haruka was within five feet of the girl, who's gunhand was faltering.  
"Well," Yaten had a smile on her face. "Take me out. On a date."  
"WHAT?!" Taiki turned around, an incredulous look on her face. "Haruka, you fucking DARE, that's JAILBAIT!"  
"I'm fully fucking legal!" Yaten was this close to throwing a hissy fit.  
"Well now... legal, hm?" Haruka allowed a smirk to pull her lips up. "Nothing's stopping me from taking you on a date now."  
"Oh, I'm stopping you--" Taiki turned her attention away from the backdoor to level her gun at Haruka.  
"Taiki, no!" Yaten pushed Taiki's arm away, ruining her aim, as Rei rushed up and knocked Yaten unconscious,  
while Haruka did the same for Taiki.  
"Ah, a kidnapper's home." Haruka picked up some ducttape lying on the table, and taped up Taiki and Yaten,  
then took their guns with her, sliding them into her empty holsters.  
"Downstairs." Haruka pointed to a door that was slightly opened that showed a set of stairs that lead down.  
"I'll go first."  
Haruka crept down the stairs quietly, stopping when she heard any stairs creaking. Finally, she reached the bottom, and motioned for Rei to come down. There were only two rooms. The basement was barely finished.  
Haruka approached one room, knocked open the door and swept inside quickly. Nothing.  
"This one." Rei was almost quivering with anticipation. Haruka pushed the door, and it swung open slowly.  
revealing Seiya, Usagi and Hotaru. Seiya had her gun pointed at Usagi's head, another at Haruka, while Hotaru clutched on to Usagi fearfully.  
"Rei! Haruka!" Usagi's face was one of joy. "You're here! I knew you'd come get me!"  
"Shut up, stupid!" Rei shouted back in relief. "You're not rescued yet!"  
"I am so, idiot!" Usagi argued back happily.  
"Good evening." Seiya smiled, looking slightly confused.  
"Hey, Seiya."  
Rei glanced from Haruka to Seiya, then back to Usagi. "How do you know one another, Haruka?"  
"I trained them." Haruka replied evenly. "They were my best students."  
"You knew they were in town?"  
"Only after Usagi was kidnapped."  
Rei paused for a second. "That's when you placed a trace on one of them."  
"On me, actually." Seiya laughed. "Smart girl. You catch on quick. I like your outfit."  
"Taught her to have a smart mouth too?" Rei glared at Haruka.  
"Oh no, that she had before she came to me."  
"I'm blaming you for that anyways. And your ass is grass when we're out of here."  
"Concentrate." Seiya commanded. "Me. good. Now, I would like the two of you to get out of my way so I could make my escape."  
"And why should we do that?" Rei hissed, anger in her eyes.  
"All we did was watch her, ma'am." Seiya said honestly. "Course, Yaten did give her a mean haircut and smacked her around a bit..."  
Rei squinted, and noticed the fadings of a black eye. "Usagi, are you alright?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine!"  
"And we did feed her. Which, I say, I should be reimbursed for. I swear to god she eats like a whale!"  
"Hey!" Usagi turned around to look at Seiya indignantly.  
"Sorry, but that's the truth." Seiya said kindly. "Now, we've been very nice to her. I'm very fond of her myself. But I'm afraid I'll have to shoot her somewhere if you do not let me go."  
"Rei!" Usagi's eyes widened, as Seiya pulled the hammer on his gun back, to show that he meant business.  
"Seiya." Haruka growled. "You don't want to do that."  
"No?" Seiya laughed sadly. "Of course I do. Remember? You taught me this lesson."  
"Let her go, you don't want to be like me." Haruka spoke steadily, hoping to get to a part of Seiya she knew had died in herself a long time ago.  
"I like Usagi a lot." Seiya continued sadly.  
"I like you too, Seiya." Usagi's fear was mixed with confusion. "Why are you doing this?"  
"She's really funny." Seiya laughed. "She doesn't understand... well... Usagi, I'm doing this because I have to live."  
"Oh." Usagi was still a child at heart. Protected from the outside world by her father, she didn't know a life of violence, she didn't know hardship. Didn't know hate. Didn't know most of the bad things in life can't be helped, and this was what it would always be for some people. So whenever she saw any of these things she didn't like, she tried to make things a bit happier. In a way, she was naive about how the world worked and had developed her own answer to problems.  
"Well... Rei, why can't we let him go this time? He's really a great person."  
Rei stared at Usagi, mouth agape. "N-no!"  
Haruka coughed. "He's a she."  
"Oh. OH!" Usagi turned around and looked at Seiya sheepishly. "Sorry."  
"Its okay." Seiya turned pleading eyes to Haruka. "Just add it on the tab of how much I owe you, buddy. I know when I can't win. And I still have my sisters to drag me down when I try to get out of here. Give me a way out,  
Haruka."  
Haruka let out a long sigh. The history between Seiya and her went deep. Very deep.  
"Sorry, Rei." Haruka hit the priestess on the back of her skull with the butt of her gun. Rei fell bonelessly to the ground.  
"Rei!"  
"She'll be okay." Haruka holstered her guns. "Get going, Seiya. Your sisters are tied up upstairs. Might take a while to untie them."  
"I'll be alright." Seiya got off the bed. "Thanks, Haruka. We all owe you."  
"Thanks later. Your contract's up. Call me in a few days and we'll go out for coffee." Haruka grinned.  
"Hurry."  
"Rei!" Usagi ran to Rei's side as soon as Seiya was out the door. Haruka looked at Hotaru curiously, and finally knelt down in front of the girl and picked her up.  
"Hey there. What's your name?"  
"The girl's name is Hotaru," Usagi informed. Hotaru clung to Haruka shivering a bit. "She's sick. I think we should get her to a doctor."  
"Tomoe... Hotaru?" Haruka looked down at the dark-eyed girl. "She's still alive?"  
"Of course she is." Usagi scoffed.  
"We stopped searching for her... soon as her father--" Haruka stopped. "Come on, we're getting out of here."  
Haruka tried to pass Hotaru over to Usagi, but the little girl clung fast to the tall assassin.  
"Okay then," Haruka helped Rei up, who was slowly coming to, but was still a bit groggy. "I've gotcha."  
"You... wouldn't need to if... you didn't hit.. me. bitch..." Rei managed a sluggish punch. "Wait... my guns... I'm okay."  
Rei picked up her weapons, shook her head a few times, and lead the way. By the time they made it outside,  
several cars had pulled up, and Mr Tsukino stepped out of one of them.  
"Usagi-chan!" He held his arms open to his only daughter.  
"Papa!" Breaking past Rei, she hugged him tightly and cried into his shoulder. "Papa... I missed you so so so so so much!"  
The old man was too moved to speak, and just hugged his daughter all the closer.  
"Why did you let them leave?" Rei leaned over to whisper to Haruka.  
"Because." Haruka shifted her hold on Hotaru. "They said find Tsukino Usagi. Killing the kidnappers wasn't mentioned much, but was obviously second to Tsukino Usagi's well-being."  
"Rei!" Mr Tsukino was calling. "Haruka, please, join me!"  
Haruka and Rei walked over to the jubilant man. The police were just arriving at the scene.  
"You have my... undying gratitude. Both of you." Mr Tsukino clapped the two on the shoulder. "Rei, you have proven yourself again and again. I can't give you more than I already have."  
"Of course." Rei bowed her head low. Then she stumbled and grabbed a hold of Haruka's arm to steady herself.  
"Rei?" Usagi's eyes widened in fear. "Rei?"  
"Usako..." Rei fell against Haruka, who held her up the best she could. The physically trying experience had pushed the priestess past her limits.  
"Get an ambulance, quickly!" Mr Tsukino barked out the order.  
In the pandemonium, Haruka felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Sacha looking down at her.  
"Did you do it?"  
"Yessir." Haruka nodded. "Your vermin problem has been taken care of."  
"Did you learn any more names?" Slobodianik asked.  
"No." Haruka shook her head. "I killed him before I could question him further. But I am good at sniffing out rats, Mr Slobodianik. Leave it to me."  
"Of course." Sacha smiled at Haruka apologetically. "I'm sorry. I almost doubted you and your unorthodox ways of dealing with things."  
"Its understandable. Nobody trusts a loose cannon."  
Sacha looked down and finally noticed the small girl clinging to the front of Haruka's shirt. "And who do we have here?"  
"This?" Haruka rubbed the dark-eyed girl's head affectionately. "This is the late Tomoe's daughter."  
"Haruka--"  
"She's suffered enough, Mr Slobodianik." Haruka kept her voice respectful. But tonight... tonight she didn't want to kill. Having a gunfight with the people who were closest to her... that had taken the taste out of her work this evening.  
"No." Sacha shook his head ruefully. "I'm not that merciless. The child can live. But she's bleeding all over your leg."  
  
Promudobliadskaja pizdoprojebina!Fucking bitch!  
Hooy tebe v zhopu!Prick up your ass! (refusal to a person)yo, don't ask me. Russians have weird ass swearwords. 


	9. Killings: Gangway!

Killings: Gangway!  
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction immo rating: R 

And I've started a new chapter! Finally! And only because of the reviews all y'all send me ;) Nice. Its been a long time since I updated this. Its so so so late, but I'm trying... I love you guys!

* * *

Discussion was out of the question, as Slobodianik declared an all-out war on Bungario. Hotaru, regaining her voice after a few days, named Bungario as the man who was in charge of kidnapping her. Not only that, but he had been extremely loose with his tongue in front of the young girl since he thought she would never see anyone alive again who would take an interest into what she'd heard.  
Just that, connected Bungario with Carl and Sergei. And Slobodianik was in a rage.  
"Hey, Hotaru, look what I got you." Haruka held out a small ladybug lamp. It was cute and weird. Exactly what Hotaru liked, as she squealed with joy, taking up the present.  
"Arigato, Haruka-papa!" The girl had ran at Haruka, nearly bowling the blonde woman over. Obviously incredibly glad at seeing her 'papa.  
"Yeah, Haruka-papa." Rei rolled her eyes at the woman. Despite the war that was going on, Haruka had opted to keep living outside of Slobodianik's house. Sacha had accomodated Haruka fabulously. There were guards around her building 24/7. And Hotaru was living with Haruka.  
The girl had become firmly attached to Haruka after Haruka had saved her, and the blonde hadn't wanted to run the kid off to an orphanage.  
She had killed Hotaru's father on Slobodianik's order, afterall. She felt responsible.  
"Shut up, Rei"  
Hotaru had also taken to calling Haruka, 'Haruka-papa'. Which was weird, and SO wrong on so many different levels. Not only that, but after she had been coerced into telling what she'd heard several times, she had clammed up, clung to Haruka even tighter and refused to speak of what had happened when she was kidnapped. Afterwards, she had completely blocked out the unpleasant ordeal. It was like she was a blank slate. She did not remember having a father besides Haruka, did not remember that she had been kidnapped, did not remember.  
The doctors had taken a look at the small girl. There were fading bruises on her body, and it looked like Seiya, Yaten and Taiki had taken care of any outer hurts but... well.  
'How could they do that to a child!' Haruka thought angrily. Hotaru had been watching the changing emotions on Haruka's face, and placed a small hand on the side of Haruka's face.  
"Papa, don't be sad." Hotaru smiled sweetly.  
Seiya had contacted her a week after the incident. When asked about Hotaru's injuries, he vehemently denied doing anything to her.  
"We delivered her to Bungario, and then he gave her back to us"  
"And you believe her?" Rei sipped her tea. Mr Tsukino had insisted that Rei take at least a week off, and Rei had opted to stay at Haruka's place, just lounging around and hanging out with Haruka. In general, being a nuisance to the blonde. But Rei got along with Hotaru really well, so Haruka had let it slide. Plus, it gave Rei some much needed time away from Usagi.  
Of course, Rei only agreed to take the vacation after she knew Usagi was under heavier guard than Fort Knox.  
"Seiya won't lie to me." Haruka had said. She didn't trust a lot of people, but Seiya and her sisters were honorable. And what had happened to Hotaru, the evidence said that only a man could have done. It was best that Hotaru forgot what had happened to her. And Haruka dreaded the day that the young girl would remember.  
"Hotaru, honey, what have you been doing today?" Haruka picked up the young girl and twirled her around, smiling at the happy laugh that came out of the dark-eyed girl.  
"Rei and I went to the park and went for icecream!" Hotaru chattered excitedly. "And then, she took me to the beach, and we went swimming and everything"  
"Oh," Haruka leered at Rei evilly. "Rei honey, did you wear that swimsuit I bought you"  
"Shut up, Haruka"  
"She did!" Hotaru cooed. "Rei looked soooo pretty"  
"All the guys and girls wanted to get to know her better, hm?" Haruka wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.  
"ALL THE GIRLS AND BOYS!" Hotaru wiggled her eyebrows, doing a rather impressive impression of Haruka and giggling hysterically afterwards. Rei couldn't help but laugh. Though Haruka told Rei she hated it, Rei knew inwardly Haruka was delighted when people found the 'father' and daughter unbearably cute.  
"So, talking about girls and boys," Rei drawled. "What's going on with our lovely Ms. Kaioh"  
"We're done." Haruka shrugged, putting Hotaru down so she could put away her ladybug lamp. "I've gotten what I want out of her. She's the enemy. She should know that now"  
"But you like her"  
"Rumours are, you're my live-in lover." Haruka shot back wryly, ignoring that very uncomfortably utterance from the miko.  
Rei blushed. There were rumours going around. Rei WAS staying with Haruka, and these rumours were inevitable. They have grown close. But that line between friends and lovers had never been crossed.  
"Rumours suck." Rei said heatedly.  
"You're a cutie." Haruka winked flirtatiously. "I wonder why we didn't make that rumour a fact"  
"No!" Rei shook her head vehemently. "Just don't go there"  
"You need to get over Usagi"  
"You need to stop avoiding Michiru"  
Haruka shrugged again, acting as if it didn't bother her. But Haruka was easy for the miko to read. Haruka was moody whenever Hotaru wasn't around to mellow her out. She listened to sad songs with a 'look' on her face. Rei was well acquainted with the 'look'. Rei made that face often whenever she was thinking about Usagi.  
Thankfully for Haruka, the doorbell rung.  
"I'll get it!" glad for the interruption, Haruka ran off. When she opened the door, though, she was not so happy.  
"Haruka." Murderous eyes looked at her.  
The blonde supressed a shudder. "Yaten"  
"Get in the apartment, quick!" Taiki hissed, pushing his brother in, followed quickly by Seiya.  
"What the hell are they doing here!" Rei hissed, picking up a chair.  
"I could say the same for you!" Yaten looked at the brunette furiously. "What the bloody hell are you doing at Haruka's place"  
"Girls"  
"I'm going to kill you, Haruka"  
"Haruka-papa?" At the commotion, the young girl had come out to take a look at the guests. "Who are these people"  
Yaten stared blankly at the girl, and Haruka, who had been holding the door open, closed it abruptly. "Not one word"  
"What are they doing here?" Rei snapped. If it weren't for Hotaru's presence in the room, the miko would have pulled out her guns.  
"I could ask the same question," Yaten glared at Haruka and poked a finger in her chest. "What is SHE doing here"  
"Haruka-papa," Hotaru looked, wide-eyed from the angry Yaten to her papa. "I'm scared"  
"Shh, honey." Haruka's quick stride took her to Hotaru's side and immediately, the girl clutched the blonde's hands. "They're... old friends"  
"Rei, was it?" Seiya smiled easily at Rei, while the violet-eyed girl continued glaring at the three 'men'-for-hire. "Hey"  
"I repeat: what are they doing here?" Rei asked slowly.  
"That, I can answer." Taiki cleared his throat. "Right now, we're not on good standings with Bungario's side. And we're also not on good standing with Slobodianik, either. So... we're hiding"  
"Hiding?" Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Why here"  
"The most dangerous place is also the safest place." Seiya took off her shoes and strolled into the living room area. "And this place looks big enough to house everybody"  
Yaten, meanwhile, had moved beside Haruka. Blushing, she reached out quickly and grabbed the sleeve of Haruka's shirt, then rested her head against the blonde's arm.  
"You owe me a date"  
"Ho boy."

* * *

"Can you get me some chips and dips too, Hino-san?" Seiya asked hopefully. It had been a couple of days since The three sisters had moved in, and they were settling in quite nicely. Haruka's apartment was big, and she suddenly discovered she had extra rooms that she had never ever thought of furnishing. So for the time being, Taiki and Haruka had gone out to buy new mattresses and think of a way to sneak it in without anybody noticing; while Yaten, Seiya and Rei watched Hotaru at home.  
Well, Rei was leaving to get snacks with Hotaru. Yaten and Seiya would stay at home.  
"What kind?" Rei sighed. After a long heated discussion with Haruka, Rei had grudgingly allowed the three Usagi-hostage keepers to stay. Out of respect for Haruka and in light of the kidnappers letting Hotaru survive and letting Usagi go.  
"You suck." Rei had whined when Haruka had put her foot down, but she respected the blonde's decisions. Haruka was dependable and she made good decisions. If anybody asked Rei, she would deny that she trusted the assassin, but deep down, she did. She even considered Slobodianik's left hand a friend.  
"Actually, more like those soft pita triangles?" Seiya said enthusiastically, leaning over the sofa. "I'm sure the grocery store has it. Those pita triangles and maybe some spinach dip? And, oh, maybe a block of good cheese? Mozerella, cheddar or something"  
Rei cursed Haruka silently.  
"I'm bored..." Yaten was sprawled on the sofa. Seiya was nice enough to ask Rei politely for things. Yaten, on the other hand, treated Rei like a glorified servant. "Rei, rent a video"  
Rei ground her teeth in anguish.

* * *

"How about this one?" Haruka sat down on the mattress and bounced on it. Taiki sat down beside her and bounced experimentally too.  
"Yaten might like this one," Taiki said thoughtfully. Taiki had let her hair down and was in female clothes. She had a permanent grimace on her face because of that, hating the fact that she was in a haltertop and booty shorts. Haruka had been sent out to get a disguise for the tall Taiki, and she had settled on the most revealing outfit she could find. Yaten's sense of humour appreciated Haruka's disguise and helped the blonde primp her sister up. Yaten, Taiki and Seiya were not a bad looking bunch. Without her hair tied back in a tight ponytail, Taiki was stunning.  
'All in all, not bad.' Haruka stared at Taiki, smirking. 'Not bad at all'  
"--listening to me! Haruka!" Taiki punched Haruka.  
"Ow, shit! That hurt!" Haruka punched Taiki back.  
"You were looking at my boobs!" Taiki accused shrilly. "You were looking at my boobs"  
"Was not--ow!" Haruka couldn't dodge the punch Taiki had launched at her. "I was---stop it!--looking at your ass"  
Taiki pounced on her and the saleslady that had been following them around cleared her throat loudly, but blushed and turned away when Haruka paused to wink at her.  
"Tenoh Haruka!" The two women on the bed froze when a high feminine voice interrupted their rough-housing. Haruka looked up sheepishly into the eyes of an enraged Minako.  
"Mina-chan"  
Her words were stopped by a slap across her face.  
"Don't 'Mina-chan' me!" Minako shook her fist at Haruka.  
"Haruka!" Taiki had wrapped an arm around Haruka's shoulders, and was glaring at Minako with death in her eyes. Taiki, Yaten and Seiya were all very different, not one alike in personality or likes and dislikes. But the three had one thing in common: they all respected Haruka on varying levels. And someone slapping Haruka was like slapping them.  
"Haruka has a girlfriend, you know!" Minako rounded on Taiki. "You shouldn't be getting involved with people who are inavailable"  
'Inavailable?' Taiki frowned. That wasn't even a word. How dare this woman come out of nowhere and slap Haruka! How dare--wait a second.  
"You," Taiki glared at Haruka accusingly. "You're unavailable? Are you dating this strumpet?" Minako squawked at the 'strumpet' comment, but Taiki ignored her. "You said you were taking my sister out tomorrow"  
Minako's eyes bugged out of her head. "What kind of sick threeway shit is this"  
Haruka, tonguing her cheek gingerly, didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Everybody in the furniture store was staring at the three of them.  
"Look, Minako-chan, we were just buying a mattress for my place for her and her sisters"  
Wrong thing to say. Minako screamed again and started smacking Haruka with her handbag.  
"That's it!" Taiki leapt at Minako, and the two toppled to the floor, locked in a vicious catfight.

* * *

"So that's the situation?" Minako looked mortified as she stirred her iced coffee. A beauty of a black eye decorated Minako's face. Taiki didn't fair any better, as she held a bag of ice against a large lump on her forehead. Haruka, in trying to seperate the fighting women, amassed a collection of bite marks and scratches on her arms.  
"I hate you two." Haruka smiled. "Did I tell you that? Both of you"  
Minako managed a blush while Taiki scowled at the boyish blonde.  
"Okay, if you weren't such a dog, things like this wouldn't happen." Taiki sipped at her tea and held up a hand to stop any protests from Haruka. "No, don't you even try to deny it. If I could, I would get you spayed"  
"Teesha, was it?" Minako looked at Taiki tentatively. Haruka and Taiki had both agreed that using fake names would be best. It wouldn't do if Minako told Michiru and Michiru accidentally leaked to Bungario that a woman with the same name as the assassins who had disappeared on him were living with Haruka. That was too big of a coincidence for anybody not to follow.  
"I am so sorry," Minako said, for the thousandth time.  
"Its fine," Taiki waved the apology away.  
"By the way," Haruka tried to sound casual, "How is Michiru"  
"Why don't you call her and ask?" Minako stared at Haruka curiously.  
"Okay, you know her family and mine don't get along at all. And right now, its getting violent." Haruka lowered her voice. Minako, though she was a ditz, wasn't stupid. She knew what Michiru's family did and knew that Haruka was in the same business.  
"Love, ya know?" Minako shrugged. "Makes people do impossible things. Think of Romeo and Juliet"  
"They weren't in love," Taiki interrupted.  
"Were too"  
"Okay, guys, stop." Taiki and Minako hung their heads, chastised. They sat in silence. Haruka contemplated everything that had happened, was happening. It was a bad idea to keep seeing Michiru. And she had gotten what she wanted out of that relationship. She had gotten the information that she needed to find Usagi. The aqua-tressed woman's laughter rung in her head, as she remembered how she had sneaked away from her bodyguards with her.  
"I want to see her again." Haruka said quietly. Both women with her looked at her intensely. "Maybe tomorrow"  
"Tomorrow you're going out with my sister." Taiki pointed out.  
"You want me to discourage her, don't you?" snapped Haruka. Taiki fell silent, biting her lower lip. She did. But she didn't want her sister hurt.  
Sensing Taiki's reservations, Haruka tried to reassure her. "I'll go out with her, and then I'll clear up everything with her. Trust me"  
Taiki looked dubious, but nodded her head. Haruka's word was gold.  
"Minako-chan, I'm asking you to help me again. I need to see her." Haruka couldn't resist Michiru. She wanted to know the fiery violinist. She liked Kaioh Michiru.  
"I'll see what I can do." Minako reached over to squeeze Haruka's hand, pleased with how sincere Haruka sounded.  
Haruka was about to thank Minako when the sound of tiny feet racing towards them made all three look up. Hotaru, in a very cute purple sundress, was racing to them, a backpack that was practically her size bouncing on her back.  
"Haruka-papa, Haruka-papa, ReiandIsawyouinthewindowandwecameintoseeyou!" Hotaru chattered breathlessly and climbed into Haruka's lap. She took off her SpongeBob backpack and brandished it proudly. "And look what Rei bought me! Haruka-papa! Look! Look"  
"Uh," Haruka floundered in Minako's furious gaze. Taiki was trying not to laugh, while nodding at the adorable little girl who was demonstrating how many zippers and do-hickeys were on the backpack. "I can explain"  
Rei, who was walking slowly to the table and not aware of the situation grinned at Taiki's outfit, deciding to tease Taiki and Haruka a bit. Putting on a sexy pout, she stopped in front of the table and placed a hand on a cocked hip. "Haruka honey, who are these two beautiful women with you? Are you cheating on me? And in front of our daughter too"  
Haruka's face fell. The world was just working against her today.

* * *

endnote: so what do you think? 


	10. Killings: Hey, lets get away

Killings: Hey, lets get away...

Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction

immo - R

Its been pretty light reading. Nothing too dark. And some of you are complaining that there's not enough

violence, mayhem and sex. Well... too bad. Lol. But maybe that'll change soon? Who knows? But I always

aim to please.

Forgot to give a shoutouts to my readers at Hamena dot org. Guys, you rock! Been there since the

beginning and I'm glad you still waiting for me. This chapter's for you!

* * *

Michiru touched her jaw gingerly, wincing at the pain. Foundation might hide the bruising, but

the swelling looked like it wasn't going away anytime soon.  
'Maybe if I...' Michiru picked up a scarf and wrapped it around her neck, hoping that it might

lessen how swollen her jaw was. 'Haruka would notice it for sure...'  
Minako had passed along the message to Michiru that Haruka wanted to see her. And despite her

affiliations... Michiru wanted to see Haruka. Genuinely wanted to see the blonde assassin.  
Said blonde was at the moment, in a store buying new clothes to replace the ones Yaten had

ruined. They had had a lovely date. They caught an afternoon movie and lunch. During lunch, Haruka had

attempted to tell Yaten that she could not have these feelings for her.  
Lunch + Angry Yaten not good for Haruka.  
"Bitch," Haruka swore under her breath as she slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans and a

plain black t-shirt. A fatique-patterned cap covered her head. After she had washed the soda drink out

of her hair, she had given up styling it and bought a hat. Looking at herself in the mirror, she nodded

in satisfaction. Though not the usual somber fitted suits she was used to, this would do. She slipped

into the brand new addidas that she had just bought and swore again. Not only had Yaten's hissy fit

ruined her clothes and hair, but the soda had also managed to work its way into her shoes and made them

squishy with liquid.  
'I should have changed,' Haruka bemoaned the loss of her suit. She had had a morning meeting

with her boss, or else she would have been in something more casual and disposable. 'There didn't seem

to be THAT much soda in that cup.'  
Haruka slipped on her arm holsters, tucking her chosen guns for the day in them, then shrugged

on a casual blazer she had also taken off the rack to hide her weapons. Haruka emerged from the

changeroom, and the salesgirl nearly drooled at the figure Haruka cut. Either because Haruka looked good

in what she was wearing or at the commission she was going to make off of Haruka's new wardrobe.  
"Credit," Handing over the piece of plastic, she sighed again. Her dry-clean only suit. Ruined.

And now she felt like she was dressed like a little kid. Glancing at her watch, she quickly signed for

her purchases, then left the store.  
'Half an hour to kill.' Haruka glanced at her watch. 'What to do--'  
Her phone suddenly rang, and she picked it up. "Tenoh here."  
"Haruka, when are you going to be back?" Rei sounded mightily pleased.  
"I don't think so. Why?"  
There was the sound of pots and pans clattering in the background. "Hotaru and I were going to

whip you up a celebratory dinner. Yaten came back crying up a storm and she's locked herself into her

room. We assume that we have you to thank for that."  
Haruka cringed. "Is she alright."  
"Oh, she'll be fine." Rei said off-handedly. Haruka had a sneaking suspicion that Rei was just

saying that to get her off her back. "But yeah, Hotaru and I are both extremely happy. Hotaru can watch

TV now that Yaten's holed up in her room, and I don't have to run errands for that high-maintanence you

-know-what."  
"That's not nice, Rei." Haruka laughed. It wasn't nice, but it sure as hell was funny.  
"Hold on, hold on, Hotaru wants to talk to you--"  
"--Papa, papa, papa!" Hotaru squealed excitedly. "We're making roast! Come home for dinner!"  
"Sorry baby, I can't." Haruka could just see Hotaru wilt in disappointment. "I've got a date

tonight."  
"Oooo!" Hotaru's glee came back. "Papa's got a daaaate!"  
Rei commandeered the phone again. "Anyways..." The priestess tried to sound casual. "Since

you're not coming home, I was thinking... do you have Minako's number?"  
Haruka laughed loudly now, and people walking by her looked at the blonde strangely, but she

ignored them and continued her conversation. "Oh man, Rei. I knew it! I knew it!"  
"What?" Rei asked defensively. The hijinxes from the day before had forced the people involved

to spend a lot of time together. While 'Teesha' was more reserved and seemed to try her best to answer

all the blonde's questions with monosyllabic answers; Rei had actually enjoyed the inquisitive blonde's

company. Like Usagi, Minako was a ray of sunshine on Rei's perpetually solemn personality.  
"You have a thing for blondes. Dumb blondes at that."  
"No! And that's rude!" Rei's denial and defense of dumb blondes everywhere sounded weak even to

her own ears. "Okay... fine. I might. But just as friends!"  
"Whatever, man. Hold on..." Haruka went through her phone's phonebook. "I got her number for you

here, you idiot."  
"Thank you!"  
"Okay, have fun tonight. Put Hotaru to bed before any hanky panky starts, okay?"  
"Haruka! We're just having dinner! I don't even know if she swings that way--"  
"But you're gonna find out tonight, right?" Haruka teased. "Oh, put Seiya on the line. She'll be

ready with the video camera when that happens!"  
Rei let out a squawk of outrage before she hung up on the blonde assassin. Haruka chuckled and

tucked her phone away. Now... what to do for the half-hour until the meeting time...?  
'Hello,' Haruka's sensitive ears caught the sounds of the electronic beeps and pings of an

arcade. It called to her and she heeded the call of that alluring siren. 'What have we here?'

* * *

Michiru stood in front of the arcade, looking hesitant. For some odd reason, instead of going to

the meeting place, her feet had brought her to this place. She was fifteen minutes early and she had

time to kill. This wouldn't be the first place she chose to spend time, but she felt... drawn to it. To

be more specific, she felt drawn to the racing consoles, where one young man seemed to be dominating the

track. It was four racing consoles hooked up together, and all competitors tried furiously to catch up

to the young man in the fatique-patterned cap. Totally at east, he sat back in his seat, manuevering his

pixelized vehicle with ease.  
"Oh man, look at him go!" One young girl, barely into her teens squealed. Michiru could almost

imagine hearts in this girl's eyes. "He's soooo cool!"  
The people who had dared to challenge the stranger slumped in their seats, their body language

relaying the defeat they felt. The crowd that had gathered to watch this brilliant racer jeered the

losers, and in their distraction; Michiru quickly slipped into a vacated seat.  
'There's time for one game.' Michiru slipped a few coins in the slot, then leaned forward to

peek at the winner, who was now, apparently, taking a quick nap while waiting for new challengers. He

didn't even glance at the people who left, or the people who joined. 'Well, Tenoh Haruka. Its time I

kicked you off that high horse of yours, hm?'  
The spots quickly filled, as other people eagerly slipped their money in. Some even had racing

gloves! Arcade pros were drawn to this young man who was a stranger among them and sought to take their

place in the coveted number 1 spot.  
As soon as the light blinked to green, two of the four drivers were off like a shot, while the

other two waited. one, because she arrogantly knew she would win by a large margin if she didn't give

her challengers a head start, and the other one just wanted to annoy the blonde.  
As the two racers who had gone first past the halfway mark, the two who had waited started off,

their movements synchronized. When Haruka shifted up a gear, so did Michiru. When Haruka executed a

drift turn, Michiru did also. They were basically neck and neck, and in no time at all, had past the two

racers who had gotten a head-start. Now, Haruka tried every trick in the book to shake off the race car

that followed her so closely. Haruka was still ahead, but not by much. In her rearview mirror, this car

stayed stubbornly behind her.  
Despite the close proximity, there could only be one, and Haruka knew smugly that she was the

one. Haruka passed the finish line a good few seconds ahead of Michiru. The blonde turned to face her

opponent, meaning to congratulate whoever it was for such a good race but stopped dead in her tracks

when she saw Michiru.  
"Oh, hey." Haruka grinned sheepishly.  
"Were you going to ditch our date?" Michiru teased.  
Haruka immediately glanced at her watch and held it out to her, protesting. "I have five

minutes! I was going to leave right now!"  
"Sure," Michiru rolled her eyes and got out of her chair, heading for the exit and smiling to

herself. She knew Haruka would follow.  
"Heyheyhey," Haruka caught up to Michiru at the entrance and embraced her from behind. Breathing

in the scent of the aqua-haired woman's heavenly scent, Haruka burrowed her face into those silken waves

feeling a peace steal over her. "Hey, don't go."  
"Don't you want to play your little game?" Michiru leaned back. How did Haruka do that? Just...

holding her like that made her feel so at ease. So loved. How long have they known each other? Not long

at all.  
"Michiru, I'm so glad you decided to come..." Haruka trailed off when she got a good look at

Michiru's face. The assassin's face went pale with rage. "Again, Michiru?"  
"Well, you know what they say," Michiru tried a joke. "My uncle has a mean back-hand."  
Haruka touched Michiru's swelling jaw, frowning when her touch made Michiru hiss with pain. This

was crazy. What was Michiru doing to her? All she wanted to do was protect her...  
"Hey, lets get away," Haruka crooned, making a decision. Michiru tilted her head to one side,

amused at Haruka's attempt at singing and her choice of song. She recognized the song, though not a lot

of people would suspect that the violinist listened to anything outside of anything harder than soft

rock. "And get a room on the other side of town..."  
"Hey baby I was thinking of you." Michiru smiled, agreeing to Haruka's melodic question.

* * *

"So... Serena?" Minako looked at Seiya, who had let her hair down and attempted to look as much

a girl as she could. "What did you say you do?"  
"Nothing, nothing." Seiya laughed lightly. "I'm just a distant relation of Haruka's, and my

sisters and I are just visiting on her request. You know," Seiya leaned forward and leered at Minako. "I

have a weakness for pretty blondes, so I just HAD to accept."  
"Huh." Minako smiled obliviously. "Well, that's very nice of you."  
The night was turning out horribly. Rei had finally gotten up the guts to call Minako over for

dinner. Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. The spaghetti was raw, the sauce was too

spicy, Hotaru had bumped her head into a cupboard and also sent the bottle of wine Rei had set aside,

crashing to the floor. Then Minako arrived. The one spot of light on this dark evening. She had helped

calm the crying Hotaru down and wipe up the mess. And then Seiya, who had shut herself up in her room,

had wandered into the kitchen and immediately started hitting on Minako.  
'Goddamnit... I just want this night to end.' Rei took a draught of the Molson Canadian marked

'Haruka's beer' on the label. The spaghetti was relatively untouched and Seiya had saved the day by

preparing several sandwiches that were surprisingly really good. Thank god Yaten was still closed up in

her room with Taiki for company. They sat on the couch, watching SpongeBob Squarepants.  
Seating order?  
Hotaru, Rei, Minako, Seiya.  
"Reiiii..." Hotaru whined when Rei made a movement. Obviously sleepy.  
"Well, look at the time!" Rei exclaimed loudly and scooped up Hotaru into her arms. "I think its

time for Hotaru's bedtime!"  
Without another word, Rei ran for Hotaru room (which doubled as Haruka's room) and tucked her

into bed, hoping that Seiya would get the hint and either see their guest off or... go somewhere else.  
"Auntie Rei?" Hotaru held out her arms. "Hug?"  
"Of course." How could anyone deny that simple request? Rei gave the girl a great big hug, ones

that Hotaru described as 'squishing the air out of her', and it always reduced Hotaru to fits of

delighted giggles. "Need anything else?"  
"Ladybug light?" Hotaru used the puppydog eyes. Rei turned on Haruka's gift and planted a kiss

on Hotaru's forehead. "Thank you! Goodnight, Rei!"  
"Goodnight, sweetie." Rei had slowly backed up to the door and shut off the main lights in the

room, leaving only the cheery glow of the ladybug lamp to illuminate the room.  
"That's so cute!" A whispered breath against her ear made Rei jump a bit. Minako stood right

behind her, and had been apparently watching the entire scene.  
"Hey, um, what are you doing?" Rei asked.  
"I'm waiting for you." Minako gave Rei a cute pout. "Serena said you'd take me out for coffee."  
"Sere--right. Serena." Rei's opinion of Seiya, which had plummeted at the start of the evening,

now rose. "Well, I'm just going to grab a jacket--"  
Rei headed to the hallway closet and mentally cursed when the phone rang.  
"Rei!" Seiya poked her head out of her room. "Get that?"  
They had all decided that none of the three sisters should pick up any calls, which meant Rei,

who was not a phone person at all, had to take them.  
"Hello?" Rei asked gruffly.  
"Ms Hino?" Mr Slobodianik's voice was a very recognizable one.  
"Sir." Rei said respectfully. Mr Tsukino had instructed her that Mr Slobodianik be treated with

the utmost respect and if the russian should call upon her services, if they were within reason, she

should try her best to help.  
"I have been trying to find my Haruka." Sacha's voice was tense. "Do you happen to know where

she is? I have instructed her to be easy to reach in these times... do you know where she is? I am a bit

worried."  
"Haruka never turns off her cellphone." Rei said aloud, but quickly tried to reassure the mob

boss. "But I'm sure she's alright. She told me she was going out with someone. You know. Going out." Rei

emphasized the last two words.  
"Oh. OH." Mr Slobodianik chuckled.  
"Is there anything important? Maybe--"  
"No, no. It is nothing big. But please remind her to keep her cellphone on." Sacha chuckled

again. "I sound like a father. You have a good night, Ms Hino."  
"Same to you, sir." Rei hung up and smiled at Minako apologetically. "I'm sorry."  
"Its alright." Minako shrugged. "Shall we go?"  
"Yeah, lets." Rei grabbed her jacket from the closet, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. What

if they didn't hit it off like yesterday? What if things went wrong?  
They rode the elevator in silence, but as soon as they got to the main floor, Minako hooked her

arm in Rei's, tugging her along. "I know this really nice little cafe just around the corner. Come on!"  
Pulled in by that sunny smile, Rei just nodded mutely and followed the girl. It was so easy for

Minako to draw Rei into an animated conversation, to open up to her. Minako's disposition coaxed Rei's

smile into a full-fledged grin. And after the coffee, they decided to walk around the city and enjoy the

sights.  
"You're serious?" Minako laughed.  
"I'm serious! She was covered head to toe in cake, and bawling her eyes out." Rei's fond

recollections of Usagi did make her yearn for her charge a little, but Minako seemed to change the pain

she usually felt into a happy sort of sadness.  
Even though there was a war going on in the underworld, of which Rei was kind of connected to,

being out here at night like this, under the stars was so... freeing. It was at this moment that Rei

suddenly felt this overwhelming feeling of well-being for the world and no matter how corny it sounded.

She realized, as she looked up at the star-studded sky, that being apart from Usagi had helped with that

healing. Though she was still attached to Usagi, it was good to take a step back. She still loved the

girl very much, but now she could see there were always other options. Rei was very thankful to Haruka

for putting up with her for the past few weeks and taking care of her in her own little ways.  
"You see that?" Minako leaned in close so Rei could follow her line of sight and pointed up at a

yellow star. "That, is Venus."  
"Oh, aren't you the astronomer." teased Rei.  
"Shut up!" Minako pushed Rei playfully. "Okay smartypants, lets see you find a constellation or

a planet or something!"  
"Easy." Rei pointed up to a blinking red star. "That, my dear Minako, is the planet Mars."  
"Ha. Right."  
"That's the one thing in the sky I learned to identify besides the big dipper and the little

dipper. That's Mars." Rei insisted and turned her head to look at Minako, and because of their close

proximity, ended up a few centimetres from Minako's flawless face. A few seconds of stunned silence

raced through their respective heads, before Rei turned away first.  
"Um," Minako tried to rescue the both of them from that awkward situation. "Why... why Mars?"  
"I remember... when I was really little, my mother pointed out Mars to me. Said it would watch

over me when she was gone." Rei regarded the planet shining so far away in the distance. "And then she

died the next day."  
"I'm... I'm sorry."  
"You don't have to apologize." Rei shook her head. "She died a long time ago and unless you have

something to tell me, to my knowledge, her death wasn't your fault at all."  
Minako laughed and wrapped her hands around her shoulders. "Geez, its getting cold."  
"Here," Rei quickly shed her jacket and draped it over Minako's shoulders.  
"Enough room for two in here," Minako held one side of the jacket open. A chill wind came

running past them and swept away any arguments Rei would've had, sending her scurrying into the welcome

warmth of a shared jacket.

* * *

Michiru's only clothing was a sheet wrapped loosely around her body. One tug would expose that

beautiful body to anybody who cared to see. Well, the only other person in the room was asleep on the

bed. Michiru looked over the blonde's naked form tenderly, feeling that inexplicable tug towards the

assassin. Haruka had made love to her in every sense of the word. It was at once excrutiatingly slow and

yet so fast it took her breath away. Hours of bliss. Not to say Michiru hadn't been able to teach Haruka

a thing or two. The blonde was actually surprised at Michiru's... skill.  
"Baby, are you up?" Michiru's movements towards the bed sent the sheet that covered her body, to

the ground unchecked. She crawled sensuously onto the bed, hands running up smooth calves, over firm

muscled buttocks, over sculpted back. But Haruka didn't answer her.  
"Sleeping?" Michiru suddenly smacked Haruka on aforementioned firm muscled buttocks. No

response. "good girl."  
At the bottom of Michiru's purse, a little bottle of tranquilizers in pill form, rested. They

had done their job. Reaching over to the nightstand, Michiru's hand passed over Haruka's, which she had

turned off because people kept calling, and picked up her own cellphone. Quickly dialing a number she

had recognized by heart, she didn't have long to wait before someone answered.  
"Yeah."  
"Its me. Where are you?"  
"I'm here." The sound of several car doors slamming shut transmitted over the phone line. "Which

room?"  
"Room 12. Give me a minute or two to make myself decent."  
"Okay. Don't want the boys to catch an eyeful, do you?"  
"Maybe," Michiru responded playfully. "Two minutes, top."  
"Two minutes." The line went dead.  
Michiru slipped into her underwear and her blouse, then gave the unconscious figure on the bed a

thoughtful glance.

* * *

The door to room 12 opened and a lone women followed by a small group of men entered, but paused

at the sight of Michiru who was just slipping into her dress.  
"Two minutes, Michiru." The leader grunted. She picked up a sheet and held it up to block

Michiru's body from sight, while glaring at the staring men. "Hurry up you idiots! Get her and lets get

gone!"  
"Hey, the boys deserve a little eyecandy now and again." Michiru coolly zipped up the side

zipper of her ankle-length dress. "And Haruka looked a little bit cold, so I thought she might need the

clothes more than I do."  
"Mich--"  
"No emotions," Michiru waved her hand impatiently, watching the men administer Haruka another

sedative, this time through a needle. Just in case she woke up before they reached their destination.

"Don't worry, none involved. She was way too easy. I just want to make sure she lasts for a while."  
"You're attached to her."  
"Maybe."  
The men rolled the fully-clothed Haruka up in one of the bedsheets and carried her out

carefully.  
"Attachment requires emotions."  
"Stop with that." Michiru strode over to the nightstand and picked up the two cellphones on the

table and handed Haruka's cellphone to the tall woman. "Take this. Send this to Mr Slobodianik with a

note... something witty and dry that implies heavily that my uncle had a hand in Haruka's

disappearance."  
"I can't write anything witty if its your uncle." The woman scoffed.  
"Setsuna, think of something, please." Michiru glanced over at the clock on the nightstand

impatiently. "I'm going back to uncle's house. Nobody knows I was gone?"  
"No, ma'am." Setsuna shook her head.  
"Good. Take care of business and I'll be in contact. Don't let anything bad happen to my girl.

She's very pretty." Michiru waved a goodbye and was out the door.  
Meioh Setsuna looked around the room, then at the cellphone in her hand. She had had a run-in

with Haruka once, thankfully, an amiable one where they had been partnered by the same employer to take

out certain associates who were not being reasonable. To get caught so easily... Setsuna shook her head

and pocketed Haruka's cellphone.

* * *

How's that for all y'all:D Excuse the errors, babes. I try ;) Heyyyy lets get away. In case you guys

are wondering, the song is TI's Lets Get Away. I can totally NOT see Michiru listening to this song.

lol.


End file.
